Colorado Springs & Wildfire:
What You Need to Know
The 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire destroyed 347 homes. The 2013 Black Forest Fire burned 14,000 acres and destroyed 511 homes — the most destructive in Colorado history at the time. Both happened here.
Colorado Springs is classified as a Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) community. Defensible space — the cleared, managed area around your home — is the most effective tool for protecting structures from approaching fire.
The Two-Zone System
Colorado's defensible space program uses two zones, each with specific clearance requirements based on distance from the structure.
0 – 30 Feet from Structure
- Remove all dead plant material (grass, leaves, branches)
- Space trees so canopies don't touch — 10 ft minimum separation
- Remove all shrubs under trees
- Cut grass to 4 inches or shorter
- Remove all ladder fuels (plants that bridge ground to tree canopy)
- Clear within 10 feet of all propane tanks and outbuildings
30 – 100 Feet from Structure
- Remove dead trees and standing snags
- Space trees so canopies are separated — reduces fire spread path
- Remove ladder fuels (shrubs and low branches under trees)
- Reduce fuel load — remove excess vegetation
- Limit continuous vegetation that connects to Zone 1
- Pine beetle-killed trees are the highest priority in this zone
Your Fire Mitigation Work May Qualify for a State Tax Credit
Colorado allows an income tax credit for qualifying out-of-pocket wildfire mitigation expenses on your property — including defensible space clearing and fuel reduction. We provide itemized invoices and documentation that supports your tax credit application. Ask us about it during your estimate.
Fire Mitigation Questions
What Colorado Springs
Homeowners Say
Would recommend to anyone. Same-day emergency response for my storm-damaged oak — down and cleaned up in under 3 hours. Completely professional.
10/10 recommend again and again. Fair price, showed up exactly when they said, and left my yard absolutely immaculate. Nobody else touches my trees.
Very happy with the work and competitive pricing. Terrell walked the property with me personally before the job. That level of attention is rare from any contractor.
Get a Free Fire Mitigation
Assessment
We'll walk your property, identify risk areas, and give you a written plan and quote — based on your specific property, not a generic checklist. We also provide itemized documentation so your work qualifies for Colorado's wildfire mitigation tax credit.