Hundreds attend Teller County open house to prepare residents for wildfires

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) – As fire danger continues to be an issue across our region, the Teller County Fire District is making sure residents are prepared and their homes are protected if a wildfire sparks.

Fire Chief Tyler Lamburt tells 11 News the weather is predicted to be so dangerous, they may upgrade their burn restrictions from a stage one to a stage two. Chief Lamburt tells 11 News the decision to jump to a stage two burn restriction will come from how dry the fuels are in Teller County.

Chief Lamburt tells 11 News they have responded to three fires within their area in the last couple of weeks. Chief Lamburt says each fire spanned seven to eight acres.

To prepare for a potential fire, Chief Lamburt says families should mitigate around their homes. Each homeowner can mitigate their home at least five feet out, provide a non-combustible landscape like a rock bed and keep tree limbs away from the streets.

If you do have to evacuate, make sure to keep all of your important documents in a ready, set, go bag. This bag is already prepacked. Chief Lamburt tells 11 News once you see smoke and you are not prepared or alerted, it is already too late.

“In Teller County, we don’t have a lot of staff to be able to go down to each and every home,” said Chief Lamburt. “That’s why it’s important for you to sign up for the alerts. You should get notified that way. We will send people throughout the neighborhoods for the evacuations but the Ready, Set, Go Program gives you an idea on how to get ready, be prepared and gets set to go and what you have to do to go.”

Chief Lamburt says residents can sign up for emergency notifications through their cell phone. You can also sign up for a free, confidential assessment of your home’s exterior by NETCO personnel.

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