El Paso County enforces Wildland-Urban Interface defensible space requirements following the Waldo Canyon (2012) and Black Forest (2013) fires. 2018 IWUIC adopted. Zone 1 (0-30 ft), Zone 2 (30-100 ft), and Zone 3 (100-200 ft) treatments required in designated areas.
El Paso County has extensive WUI exposure and adopted the 2018 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) and enhanced defensible space requirements after the catastrophic Waldo Canyon (346 homes destroyed, 2012) and Black Forest (511 homes destroyed, 2013) wildfires. In WUI-designated areas (Black Forest, Cheyenne Canyon, Cedar Heights, Ute Pass, Broadmoor Bluffs), property owners must maintain: Zone 1 (0-30 feet from structure) — remove all dead vegetation, trim tree branches 10 ft from structures and chimney, no woodpiles or combustibles under decks; Zone 2 (30-100 feet) — reduce fuel, space trees/shrubs per IWUIC guidance; Zone 3 (100-200 feet) — selective thinning and ladder fuel removal. New construction in designated WUI zones must use Class A roofing (fire-rated), ember-resistant vents (1/8" mesh), ignition-resistant siding, and enclosed eaves per IWUIC Chapter 5. The County's Wildfire Ready Program and Colorado State Forest Service offer free or subsidized risk assessments and chipper days. Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) has jurisdiction for city areas. Insurance carriers increasingly require defensible space compliance for renewal in high-risk zip codes; Colorado FAIR Plan available as last resort.
Defensible space violations: written notice with 30-day correction, fines $100-$1,500. Non-compliant construction: plan revision required, permit held. Repeat violations: code enforcement action. Insurance implications: carriers may non-renew, potentially forcing FAIR Plan at higher premiums.
El Paso County, CO
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See how El Paso County's wildfire zones rules stack up against other locations.
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