Wildfire home hardening is the work of making a house harder to ignite, mainly by blocking the wind-blown embers that start most home fires. In Colorado it means a Class A roof with metal valleys, noncombustible gutters, vents that keep embers out, ignition-resistant siding and decks where the map calls for them, and a 5-foot zone around the walls with nothing that burns. Since July 1, 2025, the state’s Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code has set minimum versions of these rules for mapped wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas, and counties and cities are adopting it, so a reroof or re-side can now trigger them. This guide explains each piece in plain terms and links to a deeper page for each. It is general information, not legal, code or insurance advice; your local building department has the final word.
On this page: How homes catch fire · The state code · Part by part · Order of work · Insurance
How homes actually catch fire
IBHS, the insurance-funded research institute, says homes ignite in three ways: wind-blown embers, radiant heat from nearby burning plants or buildings, and direct flame contact. Embers cause most ignitions. They can travel more than a mile ahead of a fire and pile up in vents, gutters, mulch beds, against fences, along the foundation and on decks, where they start small spot fires.
That changes how to think about protection. A wall of flame may pass in minutes, but an ember storm keeps testing every gap. NIST, the federal standards lab, put it bluntly in its 2022 hardening guidance: a hardened home may need as many as 40 components upgraded, and fixing half of them does not buy half the protection. Colorado has its own evidence. The 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire near Colorado Springs destroyed nearly 350 homes and forced more than 30,000 people to evacuate, according to the IBHS field investigation report.
The Colorado code in one paragraph
The 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code was established on July 1, 2025 through rule 8 CCR 1507-39 by the state Wildfire Resiliency Code Board, created by Senate Bill 23-166. It applies inside wildland-urban interface areas shown on official maps, and each parcel gets a fire intensity class: low parcels follow the Class 1 hardening rules (roof, valleys, gutters, vents), while moderate and high parcels add the Class 2 rules (eaves, walls, decks, windows, doors). Existing homes can stay as they are until major work is done. Replacing 25 percent or more of a roof, or of the exterior walls, pulls the whole roof or all the walls up to the new-construction rules. Our Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code guide walks through the triggers, the exemptions and how to check your map class.
The house, part by part
| Part of the house | What the state code asks for | Deeper guide |
|---|---|---|
| Roof covering | Class A covering or assembly (ASTM E108 or UL 790), gaps under tile or metal profiles blocked | Class A roofs |
| Valleys | 26-gauge (0.019 in.) corrosion-resistant metal over a 36 in. cap sheet | Class A roofs |
| Vents | Listed ASTM E2886 vents, or noncombustible mesh with openings of 1/8 in. or less | Ember-resistant vents |
| Gutters | Gutters and downspouts of noncombustible material | Gutters and debris |
| Siding, eaves, decks | Class 2 parcels: noncombustible, fire-retardant-treated or ignition-resistant materials, 6 in. of flashing at ground, deck and roof lines | Siding and decks |
| Ground around the house | Hard, noncombustible surfaces from 0 to 5 ft; fuel reduction out to 100 ft on Class 2 parcels | Defensible space zones |
If your home still has wood shakes, start with our page on cedar shake fire risk in Colorado.
A sensible order of work
- Look up your parcel. Find out whether your address is on the state or local wildfire map, and its fire intensity class, before pricing anything.
- Do the low-cost ember work now. Clean roofs and gutters, fix loose shingles, screen vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh and move mulch, firewood and stored items away from the walls. These steps come straight from NFPA’s Firewise list for the zone within 5 feet of the house.
- Clear the first 5 feet. Swap bark mulch and shrubs next to the foundation for rock, gravel or pavers.
- Time the big items to their replacement date. A roof that is due for replacement after hail is the natural time to go Class A with metal valleys and rated vents. The same goes for siding at the end of its life.
- Keep the paperwork. Product listings, permits and inspection records help with future code questions and with any insurer that recognizes mitigation.
Insurance and the wildfire map
The Colorado Division of Insurance says the state code map is for applying the building code only and is not meant for insurance. Insurers use their own, more detailed maps and models to set rates and decide on renewals, so a code classification does not by itself change your premium. The Division suggests asking your agent what code-upgrade coverage your policy has and which mitigation discounts are offered. That question matters most before a hail claim, since a large roof claim on a mapped parcel can trigger the full-roof rule.
Who we are
Integrity Roofing and Painting is a veteran-owned, family-run roofer serving Colorado since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. We replace roofs on the Front Range and in the foothills, from Black Forest, Monument and Woodland Park to Golden, Evergreen and the Denver metro, and we can point out the roof, valley, gutter and vent items on your home during an inspection. We install ember-resistant vents, metal gutters and siding, and our standard roof valley detail meets the code. We are not wildfire mitigation specialists; for a full property assessment, contact the Colorado State Forest Service field office or your local fire district. For the roof itself, call (719) 488-2800 to book a free Colorado Springs inspection, or (303) 209-0152 for a free Denver inspection. In El Paso County, also see our Colorado Springs roofing codes guide.
For a yearly to-do list that covers cleanup, paperwork and a go-bag, print our wildfire season home checklist.
Sources: Colorado DFPC, Wildfire Resiliency Code Board; 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (DFPC); IBHS, Wildfire Prepared Home: About; NIST, holistic home and community wildfire guidance (2022); IBHS, Waldo Canyon Wildfire field investigation; NFPA, Preparing homes for wildfire; Colorado State Forest Service, Protect your home and property; Colorado Division of Insurance, Wildfire Resiliency Building Codes and Insurance.
