“We provide the solutions to bring your home and property up to compliance.”
“We know how wildfires move. We know how structures ignite from wildfires. We know your home and all that is in it are your most valuable assets.”
We use the latest science from N.F.P.A. (Firewise USA), I.B.H.S. (Wildfire Prepared) and C.S.U./C.S.F.S. to assess and provide solutions to help protect your home & property.
We’re the only Wildfire Mitigation Contractor in Southwest Colorado that can address both Home Wildfire Hardening Retrofits , Defensible Space Mitigation and assessments to insurance underwriter standards.
What We Offer
Creation of Defensible Space
Defensible Space is the area outside of the homes footprint and attached structures. There are 3-mitigation zones that focus on reducing the density and continuity of wildfire fuels.
We work with the Homeowner to create a custom plan to Wildfire Mitigate each zone.
These are examples of work we have completed to reduce the fuels leading up to the home.
“...Just got word that all mitigation work has been approved and our insurance reinstated. Thanks again... you’re still batting 1000! ”
— Rick Post, Durango Colorado
HOME WILDFIRE HARDENING
Home wildfire hardening is the process of making your home more resistant to igniting from radiant heat and embers produced in a wildfire. It’s the embers from a wildfire that predominately ignite structures. In most cases, the home retrofits are easier and more affordable than you may think.
EXAMPLES OF OUR WORK
Underdeck Enclosures. This is an issue most homes with attached decks have. If your deck is less than 4 feet off the ground and the underdeck area is not enclosed, it offers an opening for dry leaves, pine needles and embers to accumulate, igniting the deck and the attached house. The open portion underneath the deck is enclosed with either 1/8 inch or less metal mesh or completely enclosed with a noncombustible material. The type of noncombustible material we use is decided by the homeowner.
Gates & Fencing. Combustible (wood) gates and fencing that attach to a home or structure have been found to be responsible for setting fire to structures. That’s why any gates or fencing that attach to the home must be made of noncombustible materials from the home going out a minimum of 8 feet away from the home. The type of noncombustible material we use is decided by the homeowner.
Zone-1 Rockscaping and Exterior Siding. Zone-1 (0-5 feet from your home) Also known as “Zone Zero” for Zero Combustibles, is the most important defensible space zone for keeping flames away from your home. We remove all combustible material, lay down a landscape weed barrier fabric and install rock. The type of rock and landscape border we use is decided by the homeowner. In the picture, we also installed noncombustible material to the lower portion of wood siding.
Exterior Siding. The lower 6 inches of exterior siding on a dwelling must be made of a noncombustible material. This is where blown embers build up in a wildfire and ignite the combustible exterior siding. In the pictures you can see where we attached 8.25 inch James Hardie noncombustible fiber cement siding planks to the lower sections of the wooden exterior siding of the home and painted it to match. In the bottom picture, we installed pre-rusted corrugated metal to the siding and also cleared and rockscaped mitigation Zone-1. The type of noncombustible siding is up to the homeowner.
Wildfire Risk Assessments & Solutions
Our Comprehensive Homeowners/Homebuyers fire Risk Assessment Will Tell You:
1. If a property could possibly pass or fail an insurance underwriters inspection.
2. What mitigation work would need to be done in order to pass an inspection.
3. An estimate on the cost to mitigate the prescribed scope-of-work.
A complete written report including pictures and signed by an NFPA Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist
-This report uses National Fire Protection Association (NFPA - Firewise USA) and Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS - Wildfire Prepared) standards. These are the standards that Insurance Underwriters use when performing inspections. These are also the standards, that if implemented, will best protect your home from igniting due to a wildfire.
-How do we know what Insurance Underwriters look for when inspecting a home & property for wildfire risk? Because, we specialized in saving Homeowners from losing their insurance and we have a 100% success rate at saving homeowners from losing their insurance once under an insurance demand to mitigate their home & property.
-What’s in the report? We use our proprietary 59 point checklist covering 5 sections: Location = 9 Points; Access = 8 Points; Home/Structure = 17 Points; Defensible Space = 23 Points; If you have a Propane Tank = 2 Points. You’ll also receive a scope of work, if any work is required, on both the home & defensible space and an estimate on the cost to perform the work.
“Just like a home inspection - This comprehensive assessment should be part of every Homebuyers due diligence prior to purchase”
This is a very comprehensive report that may be required by insurance companies under the appeal process to comply with Colorado State Law. This new law as signed by Governor Jared Polis on May 28, 2025 (HB25-1182), is due to come into affect July 1, 2026. It is recommended to get an assessment done prior to the new law taking affect. It is also highly recommended that every Homebuyer have an assessment done prior to purchasing. This new law will help protect Homeowners from losing their insurance if their home & property comply with mitigation standards. This new law will also help Homebuyers acquire affordable insurance if the property they’re looking to purchase complies with mitigation standards.
The cost of the assessment is $399 if the property is in Durango or anywhere in La Plata County or Pagosa Springs to Hwy 84. There will be an additional travel charge if outside of this area. There may be an additional charge for additional structures or for assessing defensible space past 100 feet from the dwelling.
CALL OR TEXT 970-880-4669 IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR TO SCHEDULE AN ASSESSMENT
Get In Touch
We provide the solutions to bring your home and property up to compliance.