Free Wildfire Assessment
What is REALFire®?
REALFire® is a wildfire risk reduction program providing Eagle County homeowners with an opportunity to take action on their property. REALFire® provides free property assessments to educate residents on how their home and landscaping may be susceptible to wildfire and specific ways to reduce wildfire threat.
What are the benefits of REALFire® property assessments?
- An in-depth, on-site assessment conducted by experienced fire professionals
- An opportunity for property owners to identify mitigation actions unique to their property
- A detailed follow-up report with customized mitigation actions designed to measurably reduce the wildfire risk to their property
- An opportunity to earn a REALFire® certificate acknowledging their mitigation achievements. This type of recognition can be used to enhance real estate transactions and can be shared with local insurance providers
REALFire® is locally managed by Eagle County in collaboration with the Vail Board of REALTORS®. It is administered by the Community Wildfire Planning Center (info below).
Please visit realfire.net, to complete an application to receive a free wildfire property assessment.
“The Eagle County Mitigation Manager, Eric Lovgren, made a list of several fairly easy things to do to reduce our wildfire risk. We needed to enclose our outside storage area to prevent ignition of combustible material inside by embers, and install metal flashing on our deck at the junction to prevent ember accumulations from igniting the siding. Then there were a few smaller things like removing all the wood mulch, leaf litter, and all juniper from around our deck.
I am thrilled that we took the time to have the assessment done on our home.”
- Cynthia, Homeowner & REALTOR®
EC Alerts
Register for Emergency Alerts
ECAlert is Eagle County's emergency alert system, enabling emergency management agencies and first responders to quickly and efficiently provide Eagle County residents and visitors with critical information for a variety of situations, from updates on severe weather and unexpected road closures to notifications about missing persons or evacuations of buildings and neighborhoods.
Wildfire Educational Guides
The REALFire® program provides educational materials created for home buyers, home sellers, and REALTORS®.
Home Buyer Reference Guide is designed to help home buyers understand and identify a property’s potential wildfire hazard.
Home Seller Reference Guide helps home sellers address potential wildfire hazard concerns from interested buyers.
Wildfire Reference Guide is an eight-page guide to help REALTORS enhance the marketing and transaction process by educating buyers and sellers about local wildfire hazards.
Home Ignition Zone is a one-page overview of a well-prepared home ignition zone, including construction and landscaping tips.
While no plant is considered completely “fireproof”, plant species, spacing, and maintenance can have a positive impact on your defensible space. Learn how to create a wildfire defensible space through your landscaping.
Eagle County follows Wildland Urban Interface Building code requirements as well as wildfire mitigation practices. This guide is for builders, architects, and homeowners who are required or who wish to utilize construction techniques that are proven to decrease the likelihood of ignition during a wildland fire event.
Eagle County also maintains a wildfire hazard map and provides other information about the county’s regulatory requirements for wildfire.
The Colorado State Forest Service also provides a helpful guide on creating defensible space called The Home Ignition Zone.
Read more about the launch of the Wildfire Mitigation Program.
Community Wildfire Planning Center
The Community Wildfire Planning Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to helping communities prepare for, adapt to, and recover from wildfires. CWPC was formed in 2017 and works with communities across the United States and elsewhere.
View the CWPC Board of Directors
We believe in empowering people through wildfire education and action. We support local governments, fire departments, land managers, and residents to create safe and vibrant places. We inspire change by facilitating positive outcomes. Let us explore ways to share our fire, planning, forestry, and program development expertise with you.
Visit the CWPC website for more information regarding wildfire education and tools.
CWPC administers the REALFire Program to ensure a long-term approach to its success. To date, the program has assessed hundreds of housing units and provides a certificate of recognition to property owners who accomplish all mitigation actions. The program builds on the Wildfire Partners program established in Boulder County, CO.
