2021
ELK CREEK & INTER-CANYON
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS
JEFFERSON AND PARK COUNTIES, COLORADO
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
e
, Elk Creek & Inter-Canyon
Fire Protection Districts
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
2021 Update
Prepared for Elk Creek & Inter-Canyon Fire Protection Districts
11993 Blackfoot Rd, Conifer, CO 80433
Prepared by The Ember Alliance
170 2nd Street SW, Loveland, CO 80537
,
, Table of Contents
Acronyms ...........................................................................................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2
1.a. Purpose and Need for a Community Wildfire Protection Plan..................................................................2
1.b. Partners ..............................................................................................................................................................................3
1.c. Introduction to Wildfire Behavior and Terminology.....................................................................................4
Fire Behavior Triangle ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Categories of Fire Behavior ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Types of Fire Behavior ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Wildfire Threats to Homes ......................................................................................................................................... 8
Firefighting in the WUI ................................................................................................................................................ 8
Resources for More Information on Fire Behavior .......................................................................................... 9
2. Elk Creek & Inter-Canyon Fire Protection Districts: Background ........................................................... 10
2.a. General Description .................................................................................................................................................... 10
2.b. Wildland-Urban Interface ....................................................................................................................................... 17
2.c. Resident Preparedness for Wildfire .................................................................................................................... 19
2.d. Extreme Danger in Elk Creek & Inter-Canyon Fire Protection Districts............................................ 20
2.e. Fire History Along the Colorado Front Range................................................................................................ 21
2.f. Fuel Treatment History in and around the EC & IC FPD ........................................................................... 28
2.g. Accomplishments Since the Previous CWPP ................................................................................................... 31
Elk Creek Fire Protection District ......................................................................................................................... 31
Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District.................................................................................................................. 31
Joint District Accomplishments ............................................................................................................................. 31
2.h. District Capacity .......................................................................................................................................................... 32
3. Community Recommendations .............................................................................................................................. 33
3.a. Individual Recommendations ................................................................................................................................ 33
Mitigate the Home Ignition Zone ........................................................................................................................... 33
Evacuation Preparedness ......................................................................................................................................... 37
Accessibility and Navigability for Firefighters ................................................................................................ 38
3.b. Plan Unit Recommendations .................................................................................................................................. 41
Linked Defensible Space ........................................................................................................................................... 42
Mosaic Landscapes ...................................................................................................................................................... 43
Accessibility and Navigability for Firefighters ................................................................................................ 44
3.c. Community-Wide Recommendations................................................................................................................. 45
Evacuation Planning and Capacity........................................................................................................................ 45
Outreach and Education............................................................................................................................................ 46
Stakeholder Engagement .......................................................................................................................................... 50
4. Implementation Recommendations..................................................................................................................... 51
ELK CREEK & INTER-CANYON
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS
JEFFERSON AND PARK COUNTIES, COLORADO
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
e
, Elk Creek & Inter-Canyon
Fire Protection Districts
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
2021 Update
Prepared for Elk Creek & Inter-Canyon Fire Protection Districts
11993 Blackfoot Rd, Conifer, CO 80433
Prepared by The Ember Alliance
170 2nd Street SW, Loveland, CO 80537
,
, Table of Contents
Acronyms ...........................................................................................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2
1.a. Purpose and Need for a Community Wildfire Protection Plan..................................................................2
1.b. Partners ..............................................................................................................................................................................3
1.c. Introduction to Wildfire Behavior and Terminology.....................................................................................4
Fire Behavior Triangle ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Categories of Fire Behavior ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Types of Fire Behavior ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Wildfire Threats to Homes ......................................................................................................................................... 8
Firefighting in the WUI ................................................................................................................................................ 8
Resources for More Information on Fire Behavior .......................................................................................... 9
2. Elk Creek & Inter-Canyon Fire Protection Districts: Background ........................................................... 10
2.a. General Description .................................................................................................................................................... 10
2.b. Wildland-Urban Interface ....................................................................................................................................... 17
2.c. Resident Preparedness for Wildfire .................................................................................................................... 19
2.d. Extreme Danger in Elk Creek & Inter-Canyon Fire Protection Districts............................................ 20
2.e. Fire History Along the Colorado Front Range................................................................................................ 21
2.f. Fuel Treatment History in and around the EC & IC FPD ........................................................................... 28
2.g. Accomplishments Since the Previous CWPP ................................................................................................... 31
Elk Creek Fire Protection District ......................................................................................................................... 31
Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District.................................................................................................................. 31
Joint District Accomplishments ............................................................................................................................. 31
2.h. District Capacity .......................................................................................................................................................... 32
3. Community Recommendations .............................................................................................................................. 33
3.a. Individual Recommendations ................................................................................................................................ 33
Mitigate the Home Ignition Zone ........................................................................................................................... 33
Evacuation Preparedness ......................................................................................................................................... 37
Accessibility and Navigability for Firefighters ................................................................................................ 38
3.b. Plan Unit Recommendations .................................................................................................................................. 41
Linked Defensible Space ........................................................................................................................................... 42
Mosaic Landscapes ...................................................................................................................................................... 43
Accessibility and Navigability for Firefighters ................................................................................................ 44
3.c. Community-Wide Recommendations................................................................................................................. 45
Evacuation Planning and Capacity........................................................................................................................ 45
Outreach and Education............................................................................................................................................ 46
Stakeholder Engagement .......................................................................................................................................... 50
4. Implementation Recommendations..................................................................................................................... 51
