Quick & Easy Wildfire Prep: GC Alerts, Address Signs, Evacuation Zones & Helpful Resources
With this year’s seemingly unprecedented lack of winter moisture, we’re all aware of the fire dangers that come with heading into a dry summer. May is designated as Wildfire Awareness Month, and with the East Troublesome Fire still fresh in our rearview mirror and longtime Grand County residents struggling to recall a winter with so little snow, being prepared for wildfire season feels especially pressing this year.
This is the first in a three-part “Being Wildfire Ready” series designed to help you prepare your home, property, and family for wildfire season while taking advantage of the local resources available right here in Grand County. I think we’d all rather do what we can on the front end than find ourselves in a “could’ve, would’ve, should’ve” situation later, so I’ve pulled together practical tips and helpful resources to make the process feel more manageable. To start, there are a few quick and easy things every Grand County property owner can do right now to help prepare their home + land for a potential wildfire.
SIGN UP FOR GC ALERTS
If you’ve driven through Grand County lately, you’ve probably noticed the electronic message boards along Highway 40 encouraging residents to “Sign Up for GC Alerts.” As wildfire season approaches, that push is no coincidence. GC Alerts is Grand County's new official emergency alert and warning system used to inform and warn the public about active or ongoing disasters and hazards, and to provide necessary instructions (including evacuation and pre-evacuation orders). It even allows you to add household members, emergency contacts, pet information, medical needs, and vehicle information so first responders have as much information as possible in the event of an emergency. It's important to note that if you were previously signed up for CodeRED, you will not be automatically enrolled in Grand County Alerts.
Signing up is one of the most important five-minute steps you can take to stay informed and prepared during wildfire season. Make sure you and your family can receive alerts as quickly as possible by hopping online and creating an account here or by texting "GCALERTS” to 67283.
GET A REFLECTIVE ADDRESS SIGN
The Grand County Wildfire Council is a local nonprofit established in 2013 to help Grand County residents reduce wildfire risk and better protect their homes, properties, and communities, and and it’s a HUGE resource for property owners. One of the ways they serve our community is by providing quick, affordable reflective address signs.
In smoky, low-light, or nighttime conditions, reflective address signs make it MUCH easier for emergency responders to locate your home. You can order directly through the Grand County Wildfire Council. Signs for homes on Grand County roads are currently $30, while house number signs for non-county roads are $20. Before ordering, make sure you know your proper 9-1-1 address by using the county’s parcel viewer.
Once your sign is ready, you’ll receive an email notification, and you can pick it up in the foyer at Grand Fire Protection District in Granby. You can even review the installation instructions before picking it up!
And one of our local neighborhoods, Winter Park Highlands in Tabernash, even includes complimentary reflective address signs as a benefit for members of the Winter Park Highlands Homeowners Association, a huge step in the right direction for the neighborhood and a great example for other local HOAs!
KNOW YOUR EVACUATION ZONE
It might sound simple, but in the case of an evacuation, I think we'd all rather not be Googling our evacuation zone to see where we stand. Grand County has an interactive evacuation zone map that makes it really easy to find your property and identify your zone in just a few minutes. It's definitely worth taking the time to look up now, know your zone, and think through your route out (including a backup option in case your primary road is blocked). These are the kinds of things that are much easier to plan for now instead of in the middle of an emergency.
The Ready, Set, Go! program encourages residents to leave early when fire threatens (even if your zone is only in pre-evac). You and your family have the best chance of getting out safely ahead of smoke and road congestion if you go early. But it also is just good for the community in general. Prompt and early evacuations mean firefighters can move equipment more freely and focus on fighting the fire rather than navigating congested roads. It seems small, but it can make a big difference!
BOOKMARK FIRE INFO SOURCES
One of the easiest things you can do is bookmark a few key websites so you're not digging around for them later. Here's a short list worth saving:
Grand County Wildfire Council: Your go-to for all things wildfire preparedness in Grand County. Fire restrictions, address signs, cost-share programs, chipping days, risk assessments: it's all there. Truly your first and best resource for planning, protecting, checking current fire danger, and linking to all the best resources.
Local Fire Restrictions: Find currrent fire restriction stages in Grand County. Check here before any outdoor burning activity.
National Weather Service Red Flag Warnings: The National Weather Service's forecast page is updated daily with Red Flag Warnings. A Red Flag Warning means weather and fuel conditions could result in extreme fire behavior, for sure worth knowing about even if restrictions aren't in effect.
National Incident Map: The national incident map for active wildfires. If there's a fire burning somewhere in the region, this is where you'll find real-time updates.
Grand County Emergency Info + Updates: Grand County's emergency management page. Good to have on hand for local emergency info, evacuation updates, and GC Alerts registration if you haven't gotten there yet.
COTRIP: Great resource for checking your evacuation route for road closures (and just helpful for trip planning in general).
STAY TUNED FOR MORE!
If you’re ready to dig a little deeper, the next post will walk you through more steps you can take to help protect your home from wildfire by taking advantage of the resources offered by the Grand County Wildfire Council, including free risk assessments and cost-share programs designed to help property owners better prepare their homes and land for a potential wildfire. Click below to subscribe for updates, and stay tuned!
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