FLOOD03008

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Colorado Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex I
• Date: 8/1/1995
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: USFWS
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Mitigation/Flood Warning/Watershed Restoration

"The first two hours are
critical in interface fire
. "
suppressIOn.

"Subdivisions must be built
to survive fire on their own."

"Small rural fire
departments may commit
all their resources to
structure defense."

"More people
means more fires. "

Chapter Two: Impacts and Costs

Impacts of the Interface

The natural and less complicated lifestyle people seek by building and
living in wildland areas creates a dual fire threat: (I) endangerment of the
surrounding lands with increased fire ignitions from human activities, and
(2) the risk of losing their home and all their family possessions from
encroaching wildfires.

The 1989, 1990 and 1994 fires focused attention again and again on the
interface fire problem. The 1989 Panorama Fire in Garfield and Eagle
Counties demonstrated the problems resulting from the mixing of diverse
land uses. A fire ignited inside an unoccupied house located in a brushy,
flat area. Despite response from local fire forces, the structure totally
burned. Winds quickly spread the fire into the surrounding, dry vegetation.
Other homes in the development were soon threatened and needed
protection. Residents had to be evacuated. A major fire fight ensued.
A vailable forces had to be diverted from fighting the wildfire to defending
the structures from the wildfire. The wildfire easily grew and required
more forces from federal, state, county and other local fire agencies,

Luckily, the threatened homes were saved from the 600,acre fire. But, the
Panorama Fire is a prime example of how people and their structures
create fire risks to brush/forest areas, the environment and to each other,
and how they are at risk from uncontrolled wildfires.

Several main impacts of fires in the interface include:

. People cause most of the fires.
Out of the 3,158 wildfires on nonfederallands in 1994, only 487
were started by lightning. The other 2,671 were caused by people.
Most are caused by the resident or occupant doing debris burning.
But not all who cause wildfires live in the area.

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Note tltefire path from the debris burning drums uphill 10 the structure.

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