Wildfire season prep for a Colorado home is a yearly routine with three parts: clean the roof, gutters and the first 5 feet around the house so embers find nothing to burn, check the openings where embers get in, and get the household ready to leave fast. You should start in spring, before the driest months, and repeat the cleanup whenever needles and leaves pile up again. This printable checklist covers all three parts and links to our wildfire hardening guides for the details. It is general information; your fire district and building department have the final word on local rules.
On this page: Roof and gutters · Openings · First 5 feet · Paperwork · Household plan · Bigger projects
Roof and gutters
Embers land and collect where debris builds up: valleys, gutters and the joint where a roof meets a wall.
- Clear leaves, needles and other debris from the roof, especially valleys and the area behind chimneys. The Colorado State Forest Service lists this as a basic step.
- Empty the gutters and downspouts completely.
- Look for gaps under the roof edge, such as open ends on tile or metal profiles, where embers and nests can get in.
- Check that the roof covering is Class A rated. If you are not sure, our Class A roof guide explains how to find out.
- Trim branches that hang over the roof or touch the house.
- If you use gutter guards, check that debris is not sitting on top of them. Our gutters and embers guide covers metal gutters and guards.
Vents, windows and siding
- Check that attic, roof, eave and foundation vents are covered with 1/8-inch metal mesh, as CSFS recommends, and that the mesh has no holes. See our ember-resistant vents guide.
- Check that dryer and bath vent flaps close fully.
- Note any single-pane windows. CSFS recommends tempered glass, with two or more panes.
- Keep at least 6 inches of clearance between the ground and the bottom of the siding, as CSFS advises.
- Fill gaps where siding, trim and the foundation meet. Our siding and decks guide covers materials.
The first 5 feet and the deck
The area within 5 feet of the house is where embers pile up against the walls.
- Remove dry leaves, needles, bark mulch and other burnable material from the first 5 feet around the house.
- Replace combustible fencing or gates within at least 5 feet of the house, as CSFS recommends.
- Clear debris from the deck surface, between deck boards and underneath it.
- Screen or wall in the space under decks and stilt foundations with 1/8-inch metal mesh.
- Ask your local fire district for its guidance on firewood and propane storage distances, which vary by district.
- Our defensible space zones guide explains the 5 to 30 and 30 to 100 foot zones.
Paperwork and insurance
- Review your homeowners policy before the season: dwelling limit, extended replacement cost, law and ordinance coverage and additional living expenses.
- Update IDs and insurance documents, and keep digital copies in a secure, password-protected place, as Ready.gov advises.
- Record a dated photo or video walk-through of every room, closets and the outside of the house.
- Save your insurer’s claim phone number and policy number in your phone.
Alerts, evacuation and go-bag
- Sign up for your county’s emergency alerts, and turn on weather alerts on your phone. Ready.gov points to the FEMA app for National Weather Service alerts for up to five locations.
- Learn two ways out of your neighborhood, and pick where you will go.
- Practice leaving with pets.
- Pack a go-bag with a first aid kit, medicines, chargers and backup batteries, and keep it in the car or by the door.
- Store N95 masks for smoke, if you can get them.
- Choose one room you can close off from outside air, and get a portable air cleaner for smoky days, as Ready.gov suggests.
- Plan for kids at school or daycare and family members at work.
Bigger projects to plan
Some fixes are too large for a weekend. Plan them for the next roof or siding job:
- A Class A roof assembly with ember-resistant details at the edges and valleys.
- Noncombustible or ignition-resistant siding near the ground and decks.
- Metal gutters and ember-resistant vents.
If your home sits on a parcel mapped under the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, a reroof or re-siding project can trigger the code’s rules. Our Colorado wildfire code guide explains when, and the wildfire home hardening guide puts every part of the house in one place.
Where we can help
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, and an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. We install Class A roofs, ember-resistant vents and siding, and our Denver office installs metal gutters. We do not do landscaping or fuel reduction. For a roof check before the season, call (719) 488-2800 for a free Colorado Springs inspection or (303) 209-0152 for a free Denver inspection.
More homeowner checklists: Roof maintenance, spring and fall · After a hailstorm in Colorado · Hiring a roofer in Colorado and Texas
Sources: Colorado State Forest Service, Protect your home and property from wildfire; Ready.gov, Wildfires; Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code.
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