Genesee is located in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), by definition a high hazard fire environment. It is not a question of “if” wildfires will occur, but “when” they will occur. There are steps that can be taken before a wildfire occurs that improve the survivability of people and homes.

There are several publicly available databases that include wildfire risk in Genesee, all of which show that our risk is very high. 

• Colorado Forest Atlas click on “Accept,” and search “Genesee”
• Defensible App
• U.S. Forest Service Community Risk Assessment

The USFS site concludes that “populated areas of Genesee have, on average, greater risk than 97% of communities in Colorado.” To understand why Genesee is at such high risk, watch the (1 hour 12min) CSU Extension video, Fire Ecology and Behavior.

For information about homeowner’s insurance as it relates to wildfire risk, see the section on Insurance in the Home and Property Protection section.

The Genesee Fire Protection District and Forest Stewards Guild are in the process of updating the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for the District.  This process involves state-of-the-art wildfire and evacuation modeling to assess hazards and to identify strategic investments to mitigate wildfire risk and enhance emergency preparedness.  The latest information on the CWPP can be found here.  

There are steps that can be taken before a wildfire occurs that improve the survivability of people and homes.  See the section on Emergency Preparedness for things you should do to be prepared for a wildfire event in Genesee.

Decreasing the fuel load by creating defensible space around your house can reduce its ignition potential and give firefighters a better chance of defending your home from an advancing wildfire. While defensible space is very important, studies show that firebrands and embers from wildfires, which can travel over a mile ahead of a flame front, are a significant factor in igniting structures. Home hardening addresses the little things and details around your home that can determine if it survives a wildfire.  CSU Extension has prepared a video, Defensible Space and Home Hardening (1 hour 13 minutes) that provides an overview, detailed information and the scientific rationale for steps you can take that will increase the likelihood that your home can survive a wildfire in Genesee.