FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Gov. Jared Polis proclaimed May as Wildfire Awareness Month in Colorado to encourage residents to be ready for fire and prevent human-caused wildfires. Wildfire is a part of nature in Colorado, but factors such as drought, high winds and warmer temperatures increase wildfire risk. Additionally, more people are moving into wildfire-prone areas; just under half of all Coloradans live in the wildland-urban interface and are at risk of wildfire. 

It is imperative that Coloradans who live in and around natural vegetation and are most at risk of wildfire take actions to prepare for wildfire. On April 30, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control released the 2026 Wildfire Preparedness Plan. Colorado is entering the 2026 wildfire season with significant drought, low snowpack and higher temperatures. As a modest green-up develops in spring, officials with DFPC predict normal fire potential in May. However, June and July will likely experience above normal fire potential across the Front Range and the Western Slope due to drought conditions and increasing heat stressing fuels. Additionally, the possibility of high wind events in eastern Colorado are concerning. Even in an average fire season, thousands of wildfires have the potential to blow up and become destructive under the right conditions.

Practical actions to reduce wildfire risk

During Wildfire Awareness Month, local, state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations involved with wildfire safety and prevention will participate in the Live Wildfire Ready campaign. We know wildfire mitigation works, and Coloradans can take simple, practical, relatively low-cost actions to prepare their homes and property for wildfire. These actions include the following:

  • Regularly clear leaves, pine needles and other debris from your deck, roof and gutters.
  • Rake and remove pine needles and leaves 5 feet from your home.
  • Store firewood at least 30 feet from your home, preferably uphill, and never on or under your deck.
  • Move items under your deck or porch to a storage area.
  • Prune branches hanging over your roof and within 10 feet of your chimney.
  • Remove flammable material within 6 vertical inches of your home’s siding.
  • Mow grasses to 4 inches or less within 30 feet of your home.
  • Clear brush, shrubs and other plants within 10 feet of propane tanks and gas meters.
  • Screen attic, roof, eaves and foundation vents and wall-in areas below decks and stilt foundations with 1/8-inch metal mesh.

In addition to preparing one’s home, living wildfire ready means being ready to evacuate during a wildfire:

  • Make an evacuation plan for people and pets.
  • Prepare a go-bag and disaster supplies kit.
  • Sign up for emergency notifications from your local office of emergency management.
  • Ensure home address signs are visible from the street.
  • Identify at least two ways out of your neighborhood and a safe place for you to go.
  • Practice evacuating your home with your family and pets.
  • Create a family emergency communication plan.

Insurance information 

Reviewing your homeowners and auto insurance policies is one of the most important steps you can take prior to a wildfire happening. Check and see what’s covered and what isn’t in your policy. Important aspects of your policy to consider include additional living expenses (ALE), replacement versus actual cash value and when your insurance kicks in during an evacuation. Contact your insurance agent or insurance company for explanations if something is not clear. You can review the Post-Disaster Claims Guide to help find answers about how to navigate insurance claims. 

You can also contact Colorado’s Division of Insurance (DOI) with any questions about insurance, your policy, how things work, how to file a claim or how to contact your insurance company or insurance agent. Contact the DOI Consumer Services team at 303-894-7490 /  / doi.colorado.gov

Visit the Division of Insurance’s Are You Disaster Ready? website for more insurance information.

Partners

Wildfire mitigation requires collaboration and cooperation at many different levels. The CSFS works extensively with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, USDA Forest Service, Colorado State Fire Chiefs, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Fire Adapted Colorado, Eagle County, West Metro Fire Rescue, Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative and Southern Rockies Fire Science Network, as well as other partners. Together, these groups work to ensure resilient, fire-adapted landscapes and communities that provide firefighter and public safety, as well as protect Colorado’s natural resources. 

For more about the campaign, visit LiveWildfireReady.org, or search for #LiveWildfireReady on Facebook and Instagram.

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The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) provides professional forestry assistance, wildfire mitigation expertise, and outreach and education to help landowners and communities achieve their forest management goals. The CSFS is a service and outreach agency of the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University and provides staffing for the Division of Forestry within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. For more information, visit csfs.colostate.edu.