Wildfire Risk and Home Insurance for Colorado Mountain Homes

What are the defensible space zones around a Colorado mountain home?

• Zone 1: 0-5 feet. Nonflammable surfaces such as rock, gravel or pavers. Remove all flammable plants, mulch and woody debris. No firewood or storage under decks. No fuel within 10 feet of a chimney.
• Zone 2: 5-30 feet. Grass mowed to 4 inches or less. 10 feet between tree crowns. Prune limbs 6-10 feet up or one-third of tree height, whichever is less. Remove ground juniper.
• Zone 3: 30-100 feet. Thinned forest. The zone extends farther on steep slopes (CSFS).
• Firewood and propane. Keep both at least 30 feet from the house, with 10 feet cleared around them.
• Driveway. Thin trees to 10-foot crown spacing for 30 feet on each side of the driveway.

Embers travel more than a mile and are the most common cause of home ignition (CSFS Home Ignition Zone guide, 2021).

What makes the house itself harder to ignite?

• Class A roof. The top fire rating for roof coverings. Jefferson, Summit and Boulder counties now tie Class A roofs to their wildfire rules.
• Vents. 1/8-inch metal mesh on every vent keeps embers out of the attic and crawl space.
• Siding clearance. 6 inches between the ground and the siding.
• Fencing. No combustible fencing within 5 feet of the house (CSFS). Jefferson County's new code sets noncombustible fencing within 8 feet.
• Proof it works. In the 2016 Cold Springs Fire near Nederland, 8 of 1,000 threatened homes burned (CSFS).

Which mountain counties have adopted the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code?

• State code. Adopted by the state board July 1, 2025 (8 CCR 1507-39). Wildland-urban interface jurisdictions had until April 1, 2026 to adopt. A bill to delay it, HB26-1334, was postponed indefinitely April 7, 2026.
• Jefferson County. Approved March 10, 2026; applies to permits applied for on or after July 1, 2026. A defensible space permit is required for new homes, additions, deck replacements, re-siding and re-roofing, with no county fee. Class A roof when 25% or more of the roof is replaced. No junipers, arborvitae or Gambel oak within 30 feet.
• Boulder County. Ignition-resistant construction effective July 1, 2026 in Wildfire Zones 1-3. A Wildfire Partners certificate satisfies it.
• Larimer and Summit. Larimer adopted the code with amendments Sept. 22, 2025, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Summit applies it to permits applied for after May 4, 2026, treats the whole county as moderate-high fire intensity and requires Class A roofs.
• Grand County. The 2025 code with local amendments, effective July 1, 2026 (Resolution 2026-6-9).

The code allows heavy timber and log wall construction with a smallest dimension of 6 inches (ICC 400). A log home is not ruled out.

What does HB25-1182 change for mountain homeowners?

• Yearly notice. Starting July 1, 2026, insurers send each policyholder a written notice with the home's wildfire risk score and the mitigation discounts the insurer offers.
• Appeal. A policyholder who disagrees with the score appeals directly to the insurer.
• Mitigation discounts. An insurer whose risk model ignores mitigation must give a discount for documented mitigation work.
• Keep records. Save receipts, photos and any certificate, such as a Wildfire Partners certificate in Boulder County. Documented work is what the law recognizes.

Signed May 28, 2025 (Colorado General Assembly). Confirm your score, discounts and appeal steps with your insurer.

What happens if standard insurers will not write the policy?

• Colorado FAIR Plan. Created by state law in 2023 as the insurer of last resort.
• Eligibility. The applicant needs proof that three insurers declined the home.
• Payout basis. The FAIR Plan pays actual cash value, not replacement cost. Ask an agent about a supplemental policy for the gap.
• Timing. Start quotes the day your offer is accepted. A FAIR Plan quote takes three declines first.

Confirm coverage limits and cost with a licensed insurance agent before your inspection deadline.

How does the Colorado wildfire mitigation tax credit work?

• Amount. 100% of qualified costs up to $1,000, tax years 2025-2027.
• Income limit. Federal taxable income of $129,200 or less (2025).
• What qualifies. Only out-of-pocket costs paid to a third-party contractor for work meeting CSFS or DFPC standards. Your own labor does not count.
• How to claim. Nonrefundable credit on form DR 0104CR. The old $2,500 subtraction ended with tax year 2024.

Confirm eligibility with a tax professional (Colorado Department of Revenue).

What should I check on wildfire risk before I make an offer?

• Risk map. Look up the address on the Colorado Forest Atlas Wildfire Risk Viewer.
• Insurance quote. Get a written quote in the first days of the contract, before the inspection deadline.
• Zone 1 and roof. Walk the first 5 feet around the house and ask the roof's class and age.
• Fire district. Each town page on this site names the fire protection district. Call it for mitigation guidance and any home assessment it offers.
• Slash disposal. Jefferson County's slash site charges $24 per load, cards only. Summit County runs free chipping June 1-July 24.

About 2.5 million Coloradans, just under half the state, live in the wildland-urban interface; more than 1 million live at moderate to very high risk (CSFS, 2023).