Fire Mitigation
Remember the Black Forest Fire or the Waldo Canyon Fire? If you’ve lived in the Colorado Springs, Monument, Palmer Lake or Black Forest area in the last few years, it’s hard to forget what many of us only had to look out our window to see! Many homes burned down during both the Black Forest Fire and Waldo Canyon Fire because their properties were not properly mitigated. (Below is a video from the Black Forest Fire of a home that had done mitigation, which made their home save-able by the Colorado Springs Fire Department). Lind Tree Service will consult with you and explain the benefits of thinning over crowded trees that will establish a “firewise” requirement with fire fuel reduction. Our goal is to promote a healthy environment for remaining trees and a forest property you will be proud of. To accomplish these goals, we will come to your property and discuss the importance of proper tree spacing and removal of lower limbs that could provide ladder fuel for a fire. We have worked with several home owner associations to comply with state firewise programs, in doing so we have the answers to your firewise questions. Please give us a call if you have any questions concerning the protection of your property from forest fire. We work with fire mitigation clients in Colorado Springs, Monument, Black Forest, Peyton, Falcon, Woodland Park, Larkspur, Perry Park, and Franktown. Our crew recently mitigated a large private lot in the Black Forest. Here are some before and after pictures.
BEFORE: Here you can see lots of brush and scrub oak crowding out the pine trees. These lower fuels act as “ladders” and, in the case of a fire, allow the fire to travel quickly. By removing this extra fuel, you can slow the pace of a fire and give firefighters time to save your home or structure.
AFTER: Brush has been removed, pine needles and other debris racked out and removed, defensible space now provided for the homeowner and/or fire fighters.
BEFORE Another picture showing the dense brush and “ladder fuels” crowding out this lot and the pine trees.
AFTER: Ladder fuels removed, debris and lodgepole pine needles cleaned out, trees trimmed upwards of 10 to 15 feet so that lower flames cannot reach the higher branches.
Here is a great video that shows why fire mitigation is so important in Colorado. Steve Schopper, Audio/Visual Specialist for the Colorado Springs Fire Department, thoroughly documented and describes structure protection during the Black Forest Fire in 2013. Steve gives a behind the scenes look at how firefighters can take advantage of proper mitigation in order to save a home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypQc57kacg Areas in the Colorado Springs area that are at the highest risk include Woodmoor, Black Forest, and Palmer Lake. For a free mitigation estimate, please contact Bob Lind at (719) 649-2133 or request a quote or consultation