In a report released last year by Santa Ana, California-based CoreLogic, Colorado was identified as having 48,901 homes at very high risk for wildfire damage, second only to California.
The study identified an additional 45,311 Colorado homes as at high risk. When combined, the two highest risk categories have an estimated value of $26.9 billion.
The study then evaluated Colorado homes baed on their proximity to high-risk areas (instead of based solely on the risks within the property boundaries), and assigned each property a comprehensive Wildfire Risk Score.
From the report: “Since the expansion of a wildfire is not limited to movement along the ground and can just as easily migrate through airborne embers (firebrands) carried by the wind over relatively long distances, it is necessary to evaluate wildfire risk based on distance to nearby High Risk areas. Often, a property located in an urban area may not be designated as High Risk but may be located in close proximity to an area that contains all the characteristics of high wildfire risk. Evaluating risk based only on fuel within the parcel boundary may in some cases overlook nearby risk and result in a partial assessment.”
The results are even more alarming: the number of homes in the top two risk categories jumps to 231,679 homes, with a combined value of $76.1 billion.
