Scorched pine trees dot the land surrounding Bill and Cheryl Everittsí home in the Goshawk neighborhood off Hodgen Road in northern El Paso County. Their side of Goshawk Road formed the eastern edge of what firefighters referred to as the ìrabbit earsî of the Black Forest fire: two parallel stretches of burn area created when the fire pushed north and jumped Hodgen Road. The fire claimed some of the Everittsí trees but spared their home, largely due to the coupleís long-term mitigation efforts.After the fire, the Everitts met with other Goshawk homeowners to develop a plan to reduce the fire hazards within their community. Their efforts to improve the survivability of homes and property resulted in the first Firewise Communities/USAÆ recognition within the Falcon Fire Protection District.The Goshawk Homeowners officially received their Firewise Communities/USAÆ recognition in a small ceremony held Oct. 10. The group was presented with a plaque and other Firewise memorabilia, including signs at each end of Goshawk Road that proclaim the neighborhoodís new designation. Margo Humes, FFPD fire marshal, said that the items given to the homeowners ìrepresent a lot of hard work.îTwenty-five families representing more than 500 acres of forest decided their main objective was to make access safer for first responders. They worked with FFPD to conduct a wildfire hazard assessment and develop a plan to address safety concerns. Residents then worked together to implement the plan. They held meetings to distribute and discuss Firewise information and educate the community about the Firewise Communities plan. They thinned trees and removed flammable vegetation from around homes and the private road, and held community workdays to assist elderly neighbors who had difficulty doing the physical work.Cheryl Everitt said that the project brought neighbors together and created ìmore coordination and more interaction.î Coming together as a community for wildfire preparation was, and continues to be, key to their success.Humes said, ìIt takes a community to help a community survive.î She compared wildfire mitigation to a patchwork quilt, in which small pieces create a larger work of art. In mitigation, one personís work might make a difference on a single property, but that work can be negated if others donít also pitch in to improve the surrounding properties.FFPD fire chief Trent Harwig commended the group for setting an example to other homeowners living in forested areas. He also said, ìThis is when the real work begins.î The Goshawk Homeowners know that wildfire mitigation will be an ongoing effort to protect their way of life in Black Forest.
