FireWise Home Page

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where am I on the map?
Click on the "What Is My Rating?" icon. Click the search button and enter your street number and the street name in capital letters. If unsure of abbreviations, use only the street number followed by a space and the first letter of the street name. From the list of matching records select your address.

You may also enter by clicking directly on the city map in the area close to your neighborhood. Then use the zoom in feature until your specific parcel is located.

2. What do the colors mean?
Green indicates the lowest risk evaluation and the colors progressively change into red, which indicates an extreme risk rating.

3. How do I reduce my risk?
From any page click the "Improve Hazard Rating" icon and you will find information that will assist in reducing your wildfire risk. Once changes/improvements have been made, please call the FireWise office at 385-7281 to schedule a no charge reassessment. A new assessment may improve your rating and will be reflected in a color change on the map.

4. Why was my home not included in the Area of Study?
The Colorado Springs Fire Department evaluated only addresses that are part of the currently defined wildland-urban interface within the city limits.

5. I live within the city limits and my home was not included in the current evaluations?
There are two reasons your home may not have been evaluated:
• Your home must be within the wildland-urban interface area of study.
• Homes built after August 2000 have not been evaluated. Please call 385-7281 to schedule an evaluation.

6. What is the wildland-urban interface?
The term wildland-urban interface describes locations where homes are built adjacent to vegetated areas in terrain susceptible to wildland fire.

7. How many homes are within the Colorado Springs wildland-urban interface?
More than 44,000 addresses have been currently identified within our wildland-urban interface.

8. Can defensible space make a difference?
Yes, visits to recent wildfires confirm homes with effective defensible space are much more likely to survive a wildfire.

9. Does defensible space guarantee my home will survive a wildfire?
It's impossible to guarantee a home will survive a wildfire, but by incorporating fuel management techniques, hardening the structure and performing annual maintenance, a home's chances of survival are significantly increased.

10. How can my neighborhood receive more information on reducing their wildfire risk?
FireWise group presentations are available at no cost to homeowner's associations, neighborhood groups, etc. Please call the Colorado Springs Fire Department's Wildland Risk Management Office at 385-7281 to schedule a FireWise presentation.

11. What causes wildland fires?
There are two causes of wildland fires:
• Lightning
• Humans - This category includes intentional and unintentional acts. Possible sources include fireworks, smoking, model rockets, campfires, outdoor cooking grills and other related activities.

12. Who can access the parcel ratings?
By entering an address within the wildland-urban interface anyone can access the information. The site is public record and the information is not password protected.

13. Will my insurance company raise my rate based on the evaluations?
Through communication with the insurance industry, it was found that rates are currently based on loss and Colorado Springs has not lost a home to wildfire in many years. However, homeowners may find future rates affected by the recent major wildfires throughout the State of Colorado.

14. Where did the Colorado Springs Fire Department get the information to determine my hazard rating?
The Fire Department did individual on-site assessments of each property identified in the area of study.

15. If I make FireWise improvements to my home how can I get a new rating?
Following improvements, homeowner's can contact the Fire Department's FireWise office by calling 385-7281.

16. What influences the spread of wildfire?
The three factors that influence wildfire are topography, fuel and weather. In a wildfire environment only fuels can be modified or improved. Fuels in a wildfire setting are classified as vegetation and structural elements such as the roof, siding, deck, etc.

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