Fire renews interest in prevention

The Waldo Canyon fire that started June 23 has renewed interest in the county’s code enforcement policy with regard to weeds, pine needles, branches, brush and debris on private property. Most are covered under the countyís code.In a press release issued June 25, Mark Gebhart of the El Paso County Development Services Dept. said that people are calling and asking the county to immediately address property issues that could be potential fire hazards.However, the code enforcement process takes about a month from the time a complaint is made to the time the county can initiate legal action, if the property owner does not act within 10 days of a citation ñ after a visual inspection by a code enforcement staff member confirms the problem.ìThe best thing is for the neighbors to talk about the problem with the owner and for the property owner to take care of it,î Gebhart noted in the release. Neighbors should come together to mitigate the problems.He recommended that homeowners visit http://firewise.org and implement the fire mitigation practices listed there. According to the Web site, clear as much vegetation as possible from the exterior of the home. The cleared area should be at least 30 feet wide; wider is better. That means

• mowing tall grasses and weeds to a low height
• trimming shrubbery
• removing dead leaves from the ground, roof and gutters
• trimming tree branches so the lowest branches are at least 6 feet from the ground
• removing tree branches that overhang a house
• moving storage sheds, play equipment, fencing and flammable construction materials more than 30 feet from a house

Longer term, remove plants that contain resins, oils and waxes that burn readily, such as ornamental junipers, holly, red cedar and conifers.According to the Colorado State University Extension Web site, deciduous plants tend to be more fire resistant because their leaves have higher moisture content and their basic chemistry is less flammable.The Colorado State University Extension Web site recommends

• planting trees that grow without accumulating large amounts of combustible dead branches, needles or leaves, such as aspen
• have open, loose branches with a low volume of total vegetation, such as currant and mountain mahogany
• have low sap or resin content, such as succulents and many deciduous trees, which contain more moisture than conifers
• grow slowly; thereby, reducing the need to prune
• can re-sprout after a fire, such as aspen, thus reducing re-landscaping costs

The Web site also recommends

• widely spacing smaller plants nearest oneís home
• planting in small, irregular clusters and islands, not in large masses
• breaking up vegetation with decorative rock, gravel and stepping stone pathways
• using gravel or rock to conserve moisture and reduce weed growth; avoid mulching with pine bark, thick layers of pine needles or other materials that can easily carry fire

To report a code-enforcement issue in unincorporated El Paso County, call 520-6300. To report a code-enforcement issue in Colorado Springs, call 444-7891.