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Wildfire Partner Program

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Home Ignition Zone Guide

A guide to preparing your home for wildfire resiliency

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Wildfire home ignition assessments, inspections, mitigation resources, or speakers

The Wildfire Partner Program is coordinated by Raina Eshleman, and was established in 2023 as a part of the Emergency Services Division of the Larimer County Sheriff's Office. 

The guiding mission of the Wildfire Partner Program is to promote active shared engagement with our citizens to increase wildfire resiliency, both before and after wildfire events. Wildfire Partners cultivates a neighbors-helping-neighbors approach to prepare homes, properties, roadways, homeowners associations, and businesses by reducing risk. We seek to promote wildfire resiliency, and the potential for lives, livelihoods, homes, and properties to resist, survive, and thrive following a wildfire event. 

In service of this mission, Wildfire Partners provides tools, training, and support for local fire districts and departments to offer comprehensive Wildfire Home Ignition Zone Assessments to residents free of charge.

These assessments are an educational experience for homeowners and business owners, based on national standard best practices, and are tailored to each unique property. Our goal is to empower property owners to take strategic action to make their homes, businesses, and vital roadways more wildfire-resilient, before a wildfire strikes. The Wildfire Partner Program also supports a wide variety of initiatives including community member-led wildfire mitigation efforts, grant funding coordination, promotion of local resource hubs, Wildfire Safety Inspections required for certain building permits, and more.

FAQs

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  1. Wildfire Home Ignition Zone Assessments are voluntary, optional education for property owners, and while we encourage action to be taken following the assessment recommendations, mitigation is not required or mandated by the Wildfire Partners Program.

    Wildfire Safety Inspections are only conducted as part of a county permitting process for the Building, Planning, Zoning, or Utilities Departments. Compliance with mitigation requirements during an inspection for permitting is mandatory in order to receive a permit.

     

  2. Wildfire Home Ignition Zone Assessments are voluntary, optional education for property owners, and while we encourage action to be taken following the assessment recommendations, mitigation is not required or mandated by the Wildfire Partners Program.

    Assessments last approximately one hour, are scheduled at a time and day that is convenient for both the property owner and the Wildfire Partners Ambassador, and a standard "Hold Harmless/Right of Entry" waiver will be signed prior to the assessment. It is most beneficial when the property owner is present, and can engage with the Ambassador actively while touring the property together. 

    The goal of these free assessments is property owner empowerment through education, and the fostering of a neighbors-helping-neighbors approach to wildfire resiliency.

    Also included with each Home Ignition Zone Assessment are valuable wildfire preparedness resources, such as our “Before the Fire Facts Homeowner's Insurance Conversation Guide,” home inventory for Insurance guide, wildfire mitigation tax credit form, fire-resistant plants guide, and wildfire mitigation vendors for hire list.

    Click this link to view our flyer and learn more.  

  3. Wildfire Safety Inspections are only conducted as part of a county permitting process for the Building, Planning, Zoning, or Utilities Departments. Compliance with mitigation requirements during an inspection for permitting is mandatory in order to receive a permit.

    The most common cases when a Wildfire Safety Inspection might be required include new construction, significant additions to existing construction, and conversion of a home to a short-term rental.

    After receiving the request to review a permit application from the Building, Planning, Zoning, or Utilities Department, the Inspector will decide if the application qualifies for an inspection. If so, the inspector will send the property representative an email stating the day and time that the inspection has been scheduled, including a guidebook to prepare for successful inspection, and directions to provide access to the property through locked gates or other barriers. As long as access to the property is open, it is not required that the property representative be present for the brief, outdoor  assessment, unless they prefer to be. The inspector will document inspection findings with photos and notes, mark the inspection either PASS, FAIL, or the most common, PASS PENDING REQUIRING MINOR CORRECTIONS. The inspector's report will clearly detail the next steps required to achieve a passing score, and will then submit the report to the property representative and the appropriate permitting department for record management. 

  4. NO. Home Ignition Zone Assessment Reports are not shared with any insurance company, the general public, or unaffiliated 3rd party unless the homeowner chooses to share their own report. The results of the assessment are for the property owners to do with as they see fit. 

  5. Included with each Home Ignition Zone Assessment Report is a "Wildfire Mitigation Vendors for Hire Resource List." While Wildfire Partners are not permitted by law to recommend any particular vendor over another, the vendors on the resource list have expressed interest in being part of the program, have received an orientation, and completed a survey detailing the scope of services they provide, and in what areas of Larimer County they work. You can view the list of wildfire mitigation vendors here.

  6. There are a variety of resources available that homeowners can apply for to assist with mitigation. Here are a few: