>Unfortunately if we ALL do this,

Know the facts as nothing's nearly as simple as it first appears.

I fire mitigate a small section of my 10 acre forested propery yearly based on the Park County Colorado fire department recommendations. If I don't, any ensuing forest fires will destroy everything I own. If more folks did this there would be fewer homes destroyed and less severe fires. What little wood I burn each winter is miniscule compared to the hundreds of thousands of acres destroyed by forest fire each year in Colorado. Most of these fires are caused by lightning and the carelessness of a few individuals.

Colorado is currently suffering a severe drought and extreme forest fire danger. Clearing the downed trees plus cutting and burning a couple cords of wood each winter will ensure that the fires will be less intense and that the fireman will save my home when the fires come. If left unmitigated they may not save my home but instead save my neighbors home that is fire mitigated as my fire may be too dangerous for them to deal with.

When I built my kayak workshop a few years ago the fire department selected 90 trees for removal within 75ft in every direction around my propsed building site before I was granted a building permit. I'm still burning this same wood several years later.

See below ... Some of the 90 trees marked for removal by the Park County fire department. Across the road are a couple acres previously fire mitigated. Note the spacing between trees to reduce the "crowning" effect in case of fire. Also note how green the ground cover is based on more light getting through the trees ... Tom