SEE WILDFIRE

@douglascountyco

Your voice will help us protect your home and our community

Douglas County is updating its Community Wildfire Protection Plan – a document that defines how we can proactively protect life and property. The first step in updating this plan is your input, by completing a short survey. Visit douglas.co.us/cwpp-survey to complete the survey by April 26.

Building records now available online

How often have you wondered where your home’s property line ends, and your neighbor’s begins? Do you need to schedule a building inspection and yet remembered to do it after business hours? To access publicly available records and documents visit

https://apps.douglas.co.us/building/services

Need flood zone information?

If you live in unincorporated Douglas County, Flood Insurance Rate Maps and zone information are available by request. Visit douglas.co.us and search for Flood Plain Information. A form may also be requested by calling 303-660-7490 or visiting Public Works, 100 Third St. in Castle Rock.

What’s happening with your County government?

Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meetings via live stream visit douglas.co.us and search for Meetings and Agendas.

Do you have...

Mysterious insects? Trees in trouble? A need for gardening advice?

CSU Extension is here for you. We provide answers and education. For more information call 720-733-6930 or visit https://douglas.extension.colostate.edu

Small grass fi res burned in two areas of Littleton

Cause of fi res is undetermined

BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Two small grass fi res burned at Ketring Park in Littleton the night of April 11. After the fl ames were extinguished around 8:30 p.m., another fi re was reported about three miles away at Reynolds Landing shortly before midnight, according to South Metro Fire Rescue spokesperson Eric Hurst.

At least three calls were made to 911, the fi rst at 8:21 p.m., about the fi re at Ketring, Hurst said, with a call to police made at 11:49 p.m. regarding the Reynolds fi re. The fi res, which Hurst said were slow moving, were all extinguished within minutes. The fi res were about 10 feet by 10 feet, Hurst said.

No injuries were reported, and no structures were threatened, Hurst said. South Metro did not post any information about the fi res on social media or release any statements.

“When fi res are small in size and aren’t threatening any structures, generally, we don’t make social media posts about them unless they’re widely visible or have a long duration to extinguish,” Hurst said. “Of course, any fi re always feels too close to home for any of us.”

The cause of the fi res is undetermined, Hurst said, adding that no evidence or suspects were identifi ed at the scene. But he said it’s a “safe assumption that all of these fi res

SEE FIRES, P5

WILDFIRE

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Alexander spoke about the specifi c risks faced by Douglas County.

“Wildfi re is the number one natural hazard in Douglas County,” he said. “More than 80% of our residents in Douglas County live within some measure of wildland urban interface risk.”

The county has seen a more than 60% increase in the 5-year average of fi re occurrence since the period from 2006 to 2010, Alexander said.

Alexander said they expect that increase to continue unless there is a drastic change in the climate or residents’ personal habits.

“Current predictions for the year, for this coming summer and fi re season into next winter are predicting warmer and drier than average local conditions,” said Mike Alexander with the Offi ce of Emergency Management. “We are currently facing a fair amount of risk within the county.”

The exclusive-use contract, which parks a 300-gallon-tank helicopter in the county to respond to wildfi res, is for about $1 million. Three other contracts for call-whenneeded aerial support from April 13 to Dec. 21 were approved for about $300,000 altogether.

Alexander included that the median sale price of single-family homes in Douglas County was $706,000 in February this year.

The commissioners unanimously approved the contract and spoke in support of the effort to mitigate wildfi res.

“When you think about the very small investment that we make into aerial support, we are getting a remarkable return on investment,” Commissioner Abe Laydon said.

This is the largest-ever investment in wildfi re aerial support in the county’s history, according to a news release from the county.

“There is no more effective way to suppress a wildfi re, save lives and protect property than with the combination of aerial resources working in direct support of ground fi refi ghters,” said Alexander, who has 22 years of experience fi ghting wildfi res.

The county also provides resources to help residents mitigate wildfi re risk on their property by removing weeds and vegetation. More information is available at douglas.co.us/wildfi re-mitigation.

Residents can sign up for phone call emergency notifi cations by visiting douglas.co.us/codered.

Weekly Carrier Routes Available

Ask about our sign on bonus! Castle Rock, Parker & Highlands Ranch Area

• Part-time hours •Adaptable route sizes • No suit & tie required!

Previous carrier experience encouraged; reliable vehicle and email access, required.

Firefi ghters from South Metro Fire Rescue extinguish fl ames after a grass fi re broke out on Jackass Hill Park. O cials believe it was caused by a small fi rework. COURTESY OF DAVID SPRUNT

FIRES

have been human caused” either by careless behavior or an unintentional accident.

A recent fi re also broke out at Jackass Hill Park near several homes the night of March 24. That fi re was believed to have been caused by a small fi rework, Hurst said, and left neighbors rattled.

“Incidents like this are getting a little bit more frequent than they used to,” Hurst said. “Some of it’s just careless behavior ... and not an intentional act.”

Hurst recommended residents keep up with emergency responses with PulsePoint, which tracks, and pinpoints calls being responded to by fi re departments and emergency medical services. Residents can access the service online, or through a smartphone app to also receive push notifi cations.

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Was your roof damaged this hail season?

If you want to file an insurance claim, the fall months are the best time to do so. This will allow you to get any repairs done before the winter season.