Hunters Point Homeowners Association

The FireWise Program

Hunters Point is a long-time participant in the Colorado Springs Fire Department’s FireWise Program.  Our neighborhood is within the wildland-urban interface.  The term wildland-urban interface describes areas where homes are built adjacent to vegetated areas in steep terrain susceptible to wildland fire. In Colorado Springs, most of the interface borders the hillside area, but also includes more centrally located developments.  More than 51,000 addresses have been identified within our wildland-urban interface.  Neighborhoods built within these areas are vulnerable to wildfire.  Colorado Springs is considered a high hazard wildland fire environment.

You can take steps to reduce your risk of loss from wildfire.  The following steps accompanied by regular maintenance will create a safer wildland environment and could save your home in the event of a wildfire. 

• The roof is the most vulnerable part of a house during a wildfire.  City of Colorado Springs Ordinance 02-174 requires all new roofs and roofing repairs greater than 25% be a Class A roof covering.  Tree branches should not extend over or under eaves.  Keep pine needles and other debris from accumulating on roofs and in gutters.
• FireWise landscaping should extend 30’ around the structure, but not exceed the property line.  If possible incorporate fuel breaks in your landscaping.  These include patio, paths, and rock borders.
• Remove dead, diseased and weakened trees and shrubs.  Dispose of all slash material.  To provide distance between the canopy and ground, tree branches should be pruned from the bottom up two or three times the height of underlying vegetation (not to exceed 6’).  When selecting plants and trees for landscaping, consider diversity, spacing and future maintenance.
• Install spark arresters on chimneys.  Remove all tree branches within 15’ of a wood burning appliance’s chimney.
• Ground litter (pine needles, cones, leaves and debris) should be kept to a minimum.  Mow grass and weeds to a height of less than 4”.
• Do not use the area under decks for storage.
• Store firewood at least 15’ away from the deck and house.
• Street addresses should be at least 4” high and visible from the curb.

 It’s impossible to guarantee a home will survive a wildfire, but by incorporating the above fuel management techniques and performing annual maintenance, a home’s chance of survival is significantly increased.

 For more information call the Colorado Springs Fire Department’s FireWise Office at 385-7281 or visit http://csfd.springsgov.com.