CRYSTAL LAKES FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
CRYSTAL LAKES FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

Seven Things You Should Know About Fire Mitigation

by Fire Chief Marian Kelly

 

  1. The factors that most affect the survivability of a structure are the structure itself and the 100 feet around it.
  2. Vacant lots also benefit from mitigation.  The trees on your lot are more likely to survive a fire if you have mitigated to lessen fire intensity.  Mitigation can make the difference between coming through a wildfire with a damaged, but still wooded lot and being left with a barren moonscape.
  3. It is not necessary to clear-cut around your house to improve its resistance to wildfire.  Mitigate to keep flames from direct contact with your house and to keep high radiant heat (burning trees) at a distance of at least thirty feet.  You can do this by keeping tree canopies at least ten feet apart and limbing trees up at least ten feet.
  4. More structures are lost to low-intensity (ground) fires than high-intensity (crowning) fires.  The embers and ground fires that most often destroy houses are things you can easily mitigate against.
  5. One of the most important things you can do to protect your home is clean your gutters.  Look for and remove dead leaf- and needle-litter from wherever it accumulates around your house -- it provides kindling for embers and is instrumental in destroying structures during a wildfire.
  6. There are only two forces that can truly stop or turn aside a large wildfire: a change in the weather and the mitigation of the forest in the fire's path.  Your efforts make a difference.
  7. Members of the Crystal Lakes Volunteer Fire Department will be offering property assessments to assist you in making effective fire mitigation decisions on your property.  Use the form on the Fire Mitigation page of our website to request one.

 

IN AN EMERGENCY

CALL 9-1-1 FOR ASSISTANCE

Warning Sirens

For the safety of the community, Crystal Lakes Associations has evacuations sirens posted throughout the Association. The evacuation siren in case of failure of the dam is located near the Wapiti Mailsheds to cover the floodplain area and sounds like this whoop sound:

whoop.mp3
MP3 audio file [163.5 KB]

Property owners in the floodplain should evacuate immediately if they hear this siren; all other property owners should remain on their lots, to keep the roads clear for those evacuating the floodplain.

 

Sirens in ALL parts of the association will sound the fire evacuation siren if a wildfire threatens the community -- it sounds like this alert sound:

Alert.mp3
MP3 audio file [168.6 KB]

ALL property owners should evacuate IMMEDIATELY if they hear this siren. Emergency personnel will be on hand to help direct evacuating property owners out of the area.

Where to Find Us:

Crystal Lakes Fire Protection District (CLFPD)

237 Blackfoot Road

Red Feather Lakes, CO 80545

970-881-3521 (Phone)

970-881-2085 (Fax)

clvfd@clvfd.org

 

Crystal Lakes Volunteer Fire Department (CLVPD)

237 Blackfoot Road

Red Feather Lakes, CO 80545

970-881-3521 (Phone)

970-881-2085 (Fax)

clvfd@clvfd.org

 

Click here for a map.

How to Contact Us

For more information, feel free to contact us by telephone, email, or by using our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you!

CL FIRES

CL FIRES is dedicated to education, planning, and support in the areas of fire prevention and safety, wildland fire mitigation, and personal safety in the greater Crystal Lakes Community of Larimer County, Colorado.

 

Click here to join.

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