Plan Your Own Wildfire Evacuation with the Aspen Fire Department

Wildfire season is here, and as climate change continues to warm the planet, wildfires are expected to become more severe and last later in the season than in previous years, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

Even with the abundant firefighting resources in the Valley, wildfires are unpredictable and rapidly evolving. First responders will do anything to save lives and property, but as stated in the Aspen Fire Department's (AFD) wildfire evacuation plan: “We can't save you. Your survival is your responsibility. In the event of a wildfire, our limited resources will be focused on suppressing the fire. It is your responsibility to be informed and very independent.

On June 22, Aspen will host an emergency evacuation campaign to help people make emergency evacuation plans. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at the Aspen Fire Station, 420 E. Hopkins Ave. Visitors can also sign up for emergency alerts across the city to be notified in advance of an emergency.

“Evacuation is a really dynamic and nuanced issue,” said Ali Hammond, director of Community Wildfire Resilience. “It would be difficult to evacuate the city in a very short time.”

One thing Aspen did to improve its evacuation plan was work with Ladris Technologies Inc., a company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create an up-to-date simulation of how long it would take to evacuate the city. It uses data on traffic flows and patterns to determine how long it would take to evacuate the city based on the number of people present.

Along with Ladris AI, local fire departments are also using Pano AI cameras to quickly detect smoke and help professionals determine how the fire will spread. This avoids having to send personnel deep into the hinterland to detect possible small fires. There are currently four cameras in the Aspen Fire Protection District and several more in surrounding districts. Aside from the measures currently in place, the bulk of wildfire mitigation falls on individuals.

“What matters is that owners and residents take initiative and know what to do; There’s not much we can do,” Hammond said.

Aspen offers free risk assessments during which a trained firefighter will visit your property, assess weaknesses, and attempt to educate homeowners on how to better protect their property from fire. Part of the upcoming event will be educating people on how to approach their home's ignition zone – the area around a home that could be compromised in the event of a fire.

“We want to encourage people to start addressing issues like the fire zone of their home and thinking about questions like, 'Should I get a new roof?' What type of roof should I choose? “Hammond said. “We want to start making these changes and gradually move towards a resilient community model. »

Aspen Fire wants people to be well informed about safety procedures and where to go in the event of an evacuation. If a first responder tells you an evacuation is necessary, they ask people to evacuate immediately. If you lose power or communication, if you have any doubts about whether to evacuate, or if you think you would be safer if you did, you are also urged to evacuate immediately. Visitors can learn what to pack in a backpack, including documents, medications and other survival supplies. Firefighters can also advise where the safest areas are in case you cannot evacuate or are caught in a fire during an evacuation.

Another important consideration is how to facilitate the evacuation of pets, the elderly, children or people with disabilities. Part of the event will involve planning evacuation routes in advance and communicating with neighbors in danger who may need help evacuating.

“If there was an evacuation, what would you need with you? » asked Hammond. “We want to make sure people are thinking about their prescriptions, their glasses and do their pets have a few days of food with them? Are there any documents you will need, like your passport or social security card? What are some things you can think about in advance so it's not a last minute rush.

In the event that a person finds themselves exposed during an evacuation or cannot evacuate and must flee their home, it is recommended to go to an open area, away from large trees that could catch fire or fall. The area should have short, irrigated or maintained grass and be away from large sources of ignition. These areas include golf courses, irrigated ski slopes or parking lots. The aim is to reduce the risk of an ember being blown by the wind and igniting the ground; embers can travel more than a mile in the wind.

“Another point of the event is to have experts in the room so people can voice their questions, their concerns and get feedback,” Hammond said.

For a complete evacuation plan with more information on how, when and where to evacuate as well as what to bring, visit AFD's Wildfire Evacuation Plan at aspenfire.com /wildfire-evacuation..