Colorado is now requiring wildfire-prone communities to adopt new building and property standards — and an AI analysis, exclusively shared with Axios, shows how much work remains.
Why it matters: The updated rules are designed to prevent fast-moving wildfires like the 2021 Marshall Fire by building a buffer zone from trees and other plants that can catch fire and spread embers.
Driving the news: In Jefferson County, for example, more than 50% of structures have tree canopy hanging over their roofs, according to a report from Colorado-based Vexcel, a data analysis firm.
- 78% of the roughly 255,000 structures analyzed in the county have trees within 5 feet — considered the most critical buffer for defensible space to reduce ember ignition and direct flame contact.
Threat level: The proportion of homes at risk “can definitely be eye-opening,” said Ford Freyberg, a Vexcel product manager based in Denver…