Wildfire Mitigation
Much of the property within the District is heavily forested, with large ponderosa pines and a variety of indigenous shrubs including mountain mahogany, sumac and scrub oak. Given the overall drought condition along the front-range, the District is very concerned about the possibility of wildfires that could devastate the area. The Board yearly has approved funds to keep the trees trimmed and sprayed to maintain forest health.
Since 2010, the district has worked with South Metro Fire Rescue Authority to pursue a plan to both preserve the trees and native vegetation as well as reduce the risk of wildfire. The Plan assessed all District maintained and prioritized areas based on the risk of fire and fire damage. The Districts has systematically treated large tracts of open space land that adjoin private lots to mitigate the risk of fire as well as reduce the risk of beetle infestation by thinning trees in the forested areas at greatest risk. Currently about 80% of the open space has been mitigated.
HPFMD highly recommends homeowners maintain their personal property in a manner consistent with wildfire risk reduction. South Metro Fire District is willing to provide free fire mitigation property assessments.
The District also recommends preventative spraying of all “high-value” landscaping trees within the District
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