City of Boulder Launches Wildfire-Resilient Landscapes Guide to Improve Resilience of Homes, People, and the Environment

The City of Boulder has launched a brand-new Wildfire-Resilient Landscapes Guide, a comprehensive, science-based resource designed to help residents, businesses and developers take meaningful action to reduce wildfire risk while enhancing the health and beauty of the community. Developed using the latest research and lessons learned from recent events like the Marshall Fire, the guide provides practical, easy-to-follow strategies for designing and maintaining landscapes that are both fire-smart and climate-resilient.

At the heart of the guide is a simple but powerful idea: the way we manage the space immediately around our homes can make all the difference. By creating a non-combustible zone closest to structures, choosing fire-resistant plants, spacing vegetation thoughtfully and eliminating pathways that allow fire to spread, property owners can dramatically reduce their wildfire risk.

The guide emphasizes that wildfire resilience requires collaborative action across neighborhoods, encouraging residents to work together.

Five Key Goals for a Safer, More Resilient Boulder

The Wildfire-Resilient Landscapes Guide is built around five main goals:

• Reduce wildfire risk to homes and neighborhoods
• Adapt to climate impacts, including extreme heat and water scarcity
• Protect and enhance Boulder's urban forest and landscapes
• Support ecological and community health
• Clarify requirements and best practices for properties in high-risk areas

Importantly, the Wildfire-Resilient Landscapes Guide also aligns wildfire preparedness with climate resilience. The same strategies that help protect homes from fire can also support biodiversity, conserve water and help landscapes adapt to hotter, drier conditions.

With the launch of this guide, Boulder is reinforcing its commitment to helping the community live more safely and sustainably amidst the high-risk. "Wildfire resilience starts at home, but it doesn't end there," said Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, City Manager, "By making informed landscaping choices, every property owner and community member can play a role in protecting their property, their neighbors, and the broader Boulder community."

The Wildfire-Resilient Landscapes Guide is now available on the City of Boulder website at https://bouldercolorado.gov/wildfire-resilient-landscapes-guide. In addition to the guide, the city also includes a list of contractors who have taken the Wildfire Ready Resilient Landscape Training; as with all home improvement projects, it is the best practice to get multiple quotes for work needed.

Wildfire resilience is a shared community responsibility. Together, we can make Boulder stronger and more prepared.