wildfire ready Estes Park - defensible space Estes Park

Last week I was showing homes to a couple who are hoping to spend half of the year in Estes Park. Somewhere between a great deck and a not-so-great kitchen, the husband grinned and said the best part of a mountain place was that he wouldn't have to rake leaves anymore.

I hated to break it to him… but he will. He'll just be raking something different.

Pine trees shed their needles in the fall, and those needles (along with cones, twigs, and the occasional aspen leaf that blew in from next door) pile up against foundations, under decks, and in gutters. To a wildfire, that's kindling. So raking around your home in late fall doesn't just tidy up. It's one of the simplest ways to help your home hold up if embers ever come knocking.

They took it well, and the conversation turned into a great mountain homeowner education moment, and so I thought it would be helpful to pass along here as well. Living wildfire ready doesn't require a bulldozer or a big budget. The Colorado State Forest Service's Live Wildfire Ready campaign puts it plainly: start with simple, practical, low-cost actions. Here's where I would personally start:

The Weekend Checklist

1. Rake and remove pine needles and leaves within 5 feet of your home.
This is the headline act. Those first five feet matter most, since that's where embers land and linger. Bag it, haul it, or drop it at a local green waste site rather than piling it nearby.

2. Clear your roof, deck, and gutters.
Needles love a gutter. A leaf blower or a long-handled scoop and ten minutes will do it. Make it a regular habit rather than a once-a-year event, especially through fall.

3. Clear the bottom 6 inches of your siding.
Mulch, dead plants, and stacked debris shouldn't touch or hug your walls. Pulling them back is free.

4. Move the firewood pile.
Store it at least 30 feet from your house, preferably uphill, and never on or under your deck. (Yes, I know the woodpile by the back door looks mountainy and charming. However, it’s also fuel.)

5. Empty out under the deck and porch.
Old chairs, cushions, paint cans, and that box you've been meaning to sort all belong somewhere else. Storage unit, garage, or the donation pile.

6. Trim what hangs over the roof.
Prune branches overhanging your roof and within 10 feet of your chimney. A pair of loppers and a sunny Saturday go a long way.

7. Keep the grass short and the propane clear.
Mow grasses to 4 inches or less within 30 feet of your home, and clear brush and shrubs within 10 feet of propane tanks and gas meters.

And if you're feeling ambitious, screen your attic, roof, eave, and foundation vents (and any walled-in areas below decks) with 1/8-inch metal mesh. It keeps embers out and critters, too.

You can download the full checklist from Live Wildfire Ready and tape it to the fridge.

Help Is Available (and Some of It Is Free)

If your list has a few bigger items on it, like thinning trees or creating more defensible space, you don't have to go it alone. The Gateway to the Rockies Wildfire Defense Project is a five-year effort (2026 to 2031) funded by a USDA Community Wildfire Defense Grant and managed by Larimer County's Office of Emergency Management. It supports mitigation work and education for homeowners in Estes Park and the Big Thompson Canyon corridor. Take a look at the page to see what's available for your property.

A good first step is a free Home Ignition Zone assessment through Larimer County's Wildfire Partners program, where a trained professional walks your property and tells you exactly where to focus. You can request one here.

The Estes Valley Fire Protection District also has wildfire risk specialists who offer free evaluations. Nobody knows our local terrain, our trees, and our neighborhoods better, and they're happy to help you figure out where to start.

The Bottom Line

I love living in the Estes Valley, and so do the friends, neighbors and clients who come here to spend part of the year. Looking after it is part of the deal, and it's a lot less daunting than it sounds. An afternoon, a rake, and a few good habits every year, will put you (and your neighbors) well ahead.

As for my Buyers, they're narrowing their second home search down. For now, I know they will be the best-prepared “new” homeowners on their block!

Thinking about buying or selling in the Estes Valley? I'm always happy to talk, whether it's about wildfire readiness or a good deck.