Through experience, two factors have emerged as primary determinants of a home’s ability to survive wildfire. These are the home’s roofing material and the quality of the “defensible space” surrounding it.
--Fire-resistive materials (Class C or better rating), NOT wood or shake shingles, should be used to roof homes in or near forests and grasslands. When a roof needs significant repairs or replacement, it should be done with a fire-resistant roofing material. Some counties now restrict wood roofs or require specific classifications of roofing material/ To find out about local requirements, check with the county building department.
--"Defensible space" is an area around a structure where fuels and vegetation are treated, cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire towards the structure. It also reduces the chance of a structure fire moving from the building to the surrounding forest. Defensible space provides room for firefighters to do their jobs. A rural home is more likely to withstand a wildfire if grasses, brush, trees and other common forest fuels are managed to reduce a fire’s intensity. Creating an effective defensible space for the property involves developing defensible space around each building including detached garages, storage buildings, barns and other structures and developing a series of management zones in which different treatment techniques are used. The actual design and development of a defensible space depends on several factors: size and shape of buildings, materials used in their construction, the slope of the ground on which the structures are built, surrounding topography, and sizes and types of vegetation on the property. Additional guidance can be obtained from the local fire department or a local forester with the Colorado State Forest Service. For detailed information on designing defensible space, see fact sheet Creating Wildfire Defensible Zones.

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