Homeowners Urged To Create Defensible Space In Wooded Areas

EVERGREEN, Colo. (CBS4)- A house fire in Evergreen Thursday morning was quickly extinguished thanks to the hard work of firefighters.

They believe if conditions would have been different the fire could have spread into the wooded area where the home was nestled.

Several trees that were growing around the home did catch fire but firefighters were able to quickly extinguish them.

For neighbors who live in the area it was a close call and a serious warning, one that firefighters hope they take seriously.

"If this had been three or four weeks ago and we had had the high temperatures and low humidity, no rain for weeks, it would have been a forest fire," said Evergreen Firefighter Dave Saba.

Neighbor Tim Cross said he was concerned enough to leave his home.

"We were out of the house in 15 minutes," said Cross. "The big fires have brought a sense of urgency that we need to be prepared."

Crews in Cross' yard are working to protect his home. They removed tons of dead or dying slash that would become easy fuel for a fire.

Evergreen firefighters are urging homeowners to conduct fire mitigation.

They say start with stripping tree trunks eight feet from the ground, clean the ground sources within 100 feet of the home and get rid of dead or dying trees.