Marilee Eggleston shows how the lowest limbs have been cut off evergreen trees and needles have been raked up / removed.

Chris Wanner, OSMP Vegetation Stewardship Supervisor and Forest Ecologist, introduced the group to the characteristics of the Ponderosa forest, comparing the area that had been thinned and burned this Spring with the adjacent un-thinned, un-burned area.

The group hiked past the 2019 Spring burn and saw how different the area burned in the Fall looked.

Mike Smith, wildland fire burn boss, explains conditions necessary for prescribed burns.

Photos showed how the fires were set and burned the undergrowth.

Erin Doyle, Boulder’s Wildfire Operations Specialist, answers neighbor’s questions.

Erin Doyle stands at the wildland-urban interface and explains fire department procedures that kick in once a wildfire starts, including where and how fire lines are set up. He warns, “Evacuate as soon as you are told to, and don’t expect a fire truck to pull up to your house.”

The group walked to the Shanahan 4 neighborhood to see what homeowners can do to protect their homes from embers and reduce wildfire risks.

Jere and Marilee Eggleston, who are heading up Shanahan 4 HOA wildfire preparations, showed how a neighbor has cleaned leaves and needles from under his home and added a rock border around the base.

An enthusiastic group of 44 people hiked among the Shanahan Ridge Ponderosa forests and homes to learn about prescribed burns in the area, the prospects of wildfires, and potential impacts to adjacent neighborhoods. Altogether 31 homeowners representing 9 different HOAs joined with experts from the City’s Open Space and Mountain Parks and Fire departments, the County’s Parks and Open Space department, CU Office for Outreach and Engagement and Center for Sustainable Landscapes and Communities plus the Daily Camera. 

The newspaper clippings below summarize our morning’s experiences.