Fire Season Prep Checklist
For The Gunnison Valley
What You Can Do Before Fire Season
You don't need a professional for everything. Here's what you can handle yourself to reduce your property's wildfire risk before the snow melts. For the bigger stuff - tree removal, heavy thinning, full assessments - that's where we come in.
Zone 1: 0–5 Feet From the Structure (Do This First)
This is the noncombustible zone. The goal is zero fuel touching or immediately adjacent to your home.
Clear all leaves, needles, and debris from gutters and roof
Clean leaves, pine needles, and debris off of decks
Remove EVERYTHING combustible within 5 feet of the house - firewood, lumber, propane tanks, wooden furniture, dry mulch, dead vegetation, ATVs, storage bins - anything that can potentially catch fire
Replace mulch (wood chips, pine needles, rubber) with gravel, rock, or bare soil within 5 feet of the structure
Clean under decks and porches - remove dead vegetation, stored materials, and accumulated needles
Screen or close gaps under decks, eaves, and foundation vents with 1/8" metal mesh to block embers
Remove or prune any branches within 10 feet of the roof or chimney
Clear dead vegetation from window wells and foundation edges
Remove combustible fencing, trellises, or arbors attached directly to the house
If a tree must remain in Zone 0, treat it as part of the structure and extend all zone distances accordingly
Zone 2: 5–30 Feet
The goal is to reduce fuel so fire can't carry directly to your home.
Rake and remove dead needles, leaves, and downed branches
Prune conifer branches up to 10 feet above the ground to eliminate ladder fuels (for smaller trees, prune to a third of total tree height)
Space conifer tree crowns at least 10 feet apart - more on slopes (see note below)
Favor keeping aspen - they're naturally fire-resistant due to high moisture content and smooth bark
Remove all common juniper - highly flammable and traps dead material underneath
Remove dead, dying, or diseased trees and shrubs
Clear vegetation from along wooden fences connecting to the house - fences act as fire wicks
Move firewood storage at least 30 feet from all structures
Mow dry grass to 4 inches or less
Zone 3: 30–100 Feet
The goal is to reduce fire intensity so it drops to the ground before reaching Zone 1.
Remove dead trees and heavy accumulations of dead wood on the ground
Thin dense conifer stands so crowns aren't touching - at least 10 feet of crown spacing, more on slopes
Remove dense clusters of small-diameter trees growing under larger ones (ladder fuels)
Thin the inner portion of Zone 2 more heavily; gradually increase tree density toward the outer edge
Clear brush and vegetation along your driveway and access roads - firefighters need to get in safely
Manage slash from any cutting - dump it at the Gunnison Tree Dump, chip and scatter it, disperse small pieces, or pile for burning
Slope Matters
If your property is on a slope, increase crown spacing beyond the 10-foot minimum. Fire moves faster uphill and preheats vegetation above it. A general rule: add 2 feet of spacing for every 10% increase in slope. Properties in the Gunnison Valley between 8,500 and 10,000 feet often sit on steep terrain — if you're unsure, this is a good reason to get a professional assessment.
General Preparedness
Post your address visibly from the road — reflective signs are readable through smoke
Ensure driveway is wide enough for emergency vehicles and clear of overhanging branches
Confirm garden hoses can reach all sides of the house
Know your evacuation route and have a go-bag ready
Check your homeowner's insurance — under Colorado HB 1182 (effective July 2026), documented mitigation can reduce your premium
When to Call a Professional
This checklist handles the basics. Call us when you're dealing with:
Trees you're not comfortable felling
Dense stands that need a thinning plan, not just random cutting
Beetle-kill, mistletoe, or other disease affecting stand health
Properties on steep slopes with heavy fuel loading
A full property assessment with insurance documentation under HB 1182
Anything you're not sure about — it's better to ask than to guess
A professional assessment covers everything on this list and more — and gives you the certified documentation your insurer needs to adjust your risk score.
Based on Colorado State Forest Service Home Ignition Zone guidelines and NFPA 1144 or 1140 defensible space standards. Standard spacing recommendations are most directly applicable to low and mid-elevation mixed-conifer forests (typically below ~9,500 ft). Properties at higher elevations or in different forest types such as spruce-fir may require adjusted spacing and additional measures. Consult a professional for site-specific recommendations.