Letter from SR4 Board of Directors – October 22, 2019

Re: Boulder Fire-Rescue Department/SR4 Meeting on Sept 18, 2019

Recently, interested SR4 members, our board of directors, and committee heads from Landscape Maintenance and the Architectural Review Committee met with representatives of Boulder Fire Rescue to learn more about fire risk in our neighborhood and what we can do to help BFRD help us in the event of a wildfire.

BFRD presented the results of the fire-awareness survey we all took several months ago (see results here) and let us know that, as residents of the Wildland/Urban Interface, and because of the close siting of our homes, we are at increased risk in the event of a wildfire. Wind-driven embers from large fuels like trees and homes in our neighborhood and beyond pose the greatest threat. They can ignite lighter fuse, or ladder, fuels like prairie grasses, evergreen shrubs, and accumulated debris, which in turn can ignite larger evergreen trees and homes. We as an HOA and as homeowners can mitigate our risk by making sure we have sufficient separation between fuels.

In August of 2018, we delivered to all homeowners BFRD’s Wildland Fire Preparedness Guide, which is a great starting point for homeowners. However, residents of SR4 will quickly notice that in our neighborhood, the ideal separations of fuels in those guidelines are not always possible. Nevertheless, applying other principles outlined in the guide can dramatically reduce risk.

BFRD has lots of additional information about wildfire risk mitigation on the city’s website. They are in the process of doing a curbside assessment of every home on the west side of Boulder to determine its wildfire risk status. Zoom in on Silver Plume here to see their assessment of our neighborhood.

BFRD is also eager to do free, more detailed, individual home risk assessments to discuss the specific risks on your own property and what you can do to address them. Several of our homeowners have already taken advantage of this service and learned much. To set up your own assessment, use the link above to contact BFRD.

For SR4’s Fire Mitigation Plan, please click here.

Sincerely,

SR4 Board of Directors

     Bob Evans, President

     Ed Sacks, Secretary

     Don Middleton, Treasurer

     Helen Petach

Jere Eggleston, Chair, Architectural Review Committee

Merilee Eggleston, Chair, Landscape Maintenance Committee