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Colorado residents have faced the reality of wildfires for generations. Since the 1950s, we’ve grown up with Smokey the Bear’s famous message: “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.” While it’s true that many wildfires are caused by human activity, lightning strikes also play a major role.
Wildfire remains at the top of my mind, especially when driving through Louisville and Superior in 2025, where massive recovery efforts from the devastating Marshall Fire are still underway. The scale of the destruction is a vivid reminder of the power of wildfire.
While wildfires once seemed like a summertime threat, the Marshall Fire showed that when there’s no snow on the ground and dry conditions persist, the risk can be just as severe in winter as in August. Boulder County’s forests and grasslands are breathtaking places to live, but they also carry some of the region’s highest wildfire risks.
Wildfire hit close to home for me about seven years ago when a fire near Silverthorne threatened our home there. We were in Boulder at the time, and with evacuation orders already in place, there was no way to get back. I remember asking myself: If I had time, what would I take?
Aside from the countless irreplaceable memories, our dinner table was the only physical item that stood out. What’s so special about a table? Well, it’s made of pine, and over the past 30 years, every guest who’s shared a meal with us has carved their name and a little description of themselves into its surface. Its true monetary value? Maybe fifty dollars. But it’s sentimental value? Absolutely priceless.
This experience reminded me how important it is for everyone to have a plan—to know what matters most and what you’d grab if you only had minutes to decide.
As a Realtor®, I’ve worked with several clients and friends who’ve lost their homes to wildfire, even before the devastating Marshall Fire. But after Marshall, nearly everyone in Boulder County now knows someone whose life has been touched or upended by wildfire.
Fortunately, there are many resources available to help you prepare for a wildfire emergency. Here in Boulder County, we have Wildfire Partners—a county-run program that offers homeowners personalized advice on reducing wildfire risk. Once you complete their recommended steps, they provide a certificate verifying your property’s mitigation efforts.
Insurance
Let’s be honest—most of us haven’t fully read through our hazard insurance policies. But if you live in a fire-prone area, it’s crucial to understand exactly what your coverage provides.
In the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, many homeowners discovered they were significantly underinsured. It’s essential to know what your insurance company will cover when it comes to rebuilding your home, or if they offer alternative options. Just as important is understanding what support they provide for temporary housing, including how much they’ll cover and for how long, while you’re in the process of rebuilding.
One critical step you can take now is to create a written and photographic (or video) inventory of your personal belongings. Store this inventory securely off-site or in a cloud-based system so it’s accessible even if your home is damaged.
An annual review with your insurance agent is a must. During these reviews, discuss any updates to your coverage needs and be aware that some insurance companies may periodically inspect your property. One of the first things they’ll look at is your defensible space—the cleared area around your home designed to reduce wildfire risk.
Defensible space
Removing fuel—anything that can burn!—from around your home is one of the most important wildfire mitigation steps you can take.
The Firewise program recommends thinking of your property in three zones:
Immediate Zone(0–5 feet from the house): This is the most critical area. Keep it completely clear of anything flammable—no woodpiles, dry vegetation, or combustible mulch.Intermediate Zone(5–30 feet from the house): In this zone, aim to create fire breaks using features like lawns, patios, and driveways. Tree canopies should stay at least 10 feet from the house, and trees should be spaced about 18 feet apart to reduce the risk of spreading fire between them.
Extended Zone (30–60 feet and beyond): Here, continue thinning trees and vegetation. Trees in this zone should be spaced at least 12 feet apart—and if the land is on a steep slope, even wider spacing is recommended to account for the faster spread of wildfire uphill.
Install a fire-retardant roof
Many of the older homes in the mountains west of Boulder were originally built with shake roofs. Fortunately, there aren’t too many of those left today! But if your home doesn’t have a fire-resistant or fire-retardant roof, upgrading should be a top priority to improve your wildfire protection.
Be prepared to leave
When an evacuation notice comes, odds are you won’t have much time to act. If you live in a high-risk wildfire area, it’s essential to have a plan in place before an emergency strikes.
Your plan should include a priority list of what to take. If you only have five minutes, you may only be able to grab the top few items. Many people say family photos are among the first things they’d save. Fortunately, in today’s digital world, it’s easy to upload cherished photos to the cloud—even old printed photos can be scanned and stored online for safekeeping.
Important documents might not survive if they’re just kept in a home safe. A more secure option is to store them in a safe deposit box or upload digital copies to a trusted cloud service like Dropbox or Google Drive.
Your plan should also outline a Primary Escape Route and a Backup Escape Route. And if family members are in different places when the emergency happens, make sure you’ve all agreed on a designated meeting spot.
The real estate market and fire
When smoke fills the air, it becomes extremely difficult to attract buyers interested in purchasing a home in the area. Closings often stall because insurance quickly becomes unavailable, and the local real estate market can suddenly halt in areas directly affected by wildfires.
In heavily forested areas, recovery takes time, not just for the land but for the market. It can take years for the landscape to regain a sense of normalcy, and the real estate market may take just as long to rebound. On the other hand, regions affected by grassland fires often recover much more quickly. With just one good growing season, the area can come back greener and more beautiful, and by the following summer, you might not even be able to tell a fire had occurred.
Additional resource
If you’d like additional guidance on how to prepare for a wildfire, consider ordering Linda Masterson’s book Surviving Wildfire. It’s especially relevant and local, as Linda and her husband lost their home to a wildfire west of Fort Collins in 2011, giving her firsthand insight into what it takes to prepare, survive and rebuild.
Duane graduated with a business degree and a major in real estate from the University of Colorado in 1978. He has been a Realtor® in Boulder since that time. He joined RE/MAX of Boulder in 1982 and has facilitated over 2,500 transactions over his career. Living the life of a Realtor and being immersed in real estate led to the inception of his book, Realtor for Life. For questions, e-mail duaneduggan@boulderco.com, call 303.441.5611 or boulderco.com.
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