Coloradans urged to reduce wildfire risk while staying at home

With fire seasons becoming longer, more intense and more damaging over the last few decades in Colorado, state and federal agencies that manage wildfires and forests are urging residents to join in efforts to reduce wildfire risk, while following stay-at-home and safer-at-home directives.

On April 30, Governor Jared Polis signed a proclamation declaring May as Wildfire Awareness Month, an annual observance to encourage all citizens to better prepare their homes and communities for wildfires. With about half of all Coloradans — about 3 million people — living in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), it’s important for people to take action to reduce the risk wildfire poses to their homes and create more fire-adapted communities.

 The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control anticipates an average wildfire potential into mid-summer, but that does not mean Coloradans should be lax in preparing for fires. During an average year, Colorado will see about 4,500 wildfires that burn around 168,000 acres, including several large fires.

With the coronavirus creating challenges for firefighters this year, including less flexibility and fewer resources, residents should do what they can now to ease the burden on first responders if a wildfire poses a threat to their community.

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