Wildfire Resiliency Code Takes Effect July 1

The county is updating its defensible space and structure hardening standards to meet state requirements, and Jeffco’s expanded Wildland Urban Interface designation now includes West Applewood. Remember, many homes burn in a wildfire not from the main wall of flames, but from embers. Burning pieces of wood and vegetation can travel miles ahead of a wildfire, landing in dry grass, leaves, mulch, decks, fences, and roofs, igniting homes far from the fire itself.

That’s why defensible space matters. Clearing debris and reducing fuel around your home helps take away the places embers can ignite.

While the new county code will apply to permits requested after July 1, the requirements provide guidelines that are also helpful to existing properties to mitigate fire risk.

Some highlights of the new code:

• non-combustible or ignition-resistant building materials for exterior finishes, roofs, deck surfaces, deck framing, retaining walls, and fencing

• In the Immediate Zone (0-5 feet from homes)

  • use of noncombustible, hard surface materials like rock, gravel, sand, concrete, bare earth, or stone/concrete pavers

  • removal of all plantings including shrubs, slash, combustible mulch, and other woody debris

  • no planting of new trees in the Immediate Zone. Mature trees of no less than 10-inch diameter at 4.5 feet above ground level may be maintained

  • no storage of firewood or other combustible materials in this area or areas under decks

• In the Intermediate Zone (5-30 feet from homes), prohibited plants include Juniperus spp. (Juniper species), Thuja occidentalis (American arborvitae), Thuja orientalis (Oriental arborvitae), Quercus gambelii (Gambel oak)

Visit Jeffco’s website here to see all the details of the new county code (all 28 pages!).

For all of Applewood’s Firewise resources, including tips for creating defensible space around your house, visit our Firewise page.