Colorado’s wildfire season was once considered mid-summer. Today, the state experiences large fires every month of the year, and the average core wildfire season is 78 days longer than in the 1970s, according to the Colorado Division of Wildfire Prevention and Control.
That’s particularly relevant to people living in the wildland urban interface — including the foothills just outside Denver — which has an inherently higher risk of wildfire, according to Evergreen Fire/Rescue.
To help educate and prepare people for the traditional wildfire season, EFR will host a series of presentations on wildfires in the next few weeks.
“Most of our residents are on board with the fact that wildfire is a risk,” said public information officer Einar Jensen. “But it’s an ongoing process to improve safety for our families, properties and first responders. You can’t just do it one year. These classes will empower our residents to improve their preparation for wildfires.”
The trio of classes kicks off at 6 p.m. April 30 with a two-hour “Preparing for Wildfire” presentation at EFR’s 1802 Bergen Parkway station. The session will help people learn to improve their home’s chances of surviving a wildfire.
A “Firewise Landscaping” presentation is set for 6 p.m. May 9, again at the 1802 Bergen Parkway facility.
Jensen compared the two sessions to college-level courses.
“The first class is your freshman level, doing your home assessment,” he said. “The May 9 is more sophomore level. It gets into the nuances of how to still make our properties look amazing while also reducing that wildfire risk.”
The final “Wildfire Forum,” planned at 6 p.m. May 22 at Evergreen High School, is focused on evacuations, including the inter-agency collaboration required. The school is at 29300 Buffalo Park Road.
“This is your grad school-level class,” Jensen said. “We will have not just Evergreen Fire/Rescue but other subject matter experts in the area to help residents and business owners know how to prepare.”
The final session will focus on evacuations of all kinds, including those due to wildfire, floods, hazardous material spills or other causes.
EFR also plans a 10 a.m. June 8 wildfire preparedness open house at Station 8, 33377 Forest Estates Road. That event will focus specifically on the Brook Forest area neighborhoods, Jensen said.
For more information, visit evergreenfirerescue.com, and search for wildland mitigation news.