Colorado fire department West Metro urges caution amid heightened fire conditions

Fire Capt. Aaron Johnson has had a busy summer with west Metro Fire Rescue. 

"I'm just trying to get the resource coordination to where everyone is in the right place at the right time no matter the conditions," Johnson told CBS Colorado. 

Back in July, Johnson was named the department's new wildland coordinator just as temperatures rose into the high 90s, where they've stayed almost the entire summer. 

"We're in the part of the state where  [the National Weather Service] listed the threat as very high," Johnson said. "Obviously, we're in a hot, dry, windy day."

With blazes raging on the Western Slope of the state, including two fires on either side of the town of Meeker, those in the Denver metro area are taking notice and getting ready. 

"We have our preparedness level internally set to what we call level 2," Johnson said. What that means to West Metro Fire is that a wildland unit will be on-call, even for non-wildfire related service needs in case they need to be activated at a moment's notice for even the smallest burn. 

"We want you to home-harden and mitigate your home," Johnson said. "When you're preparing your family, sign up for alerts. In Jefferson County, that's Lookout Alert." 

Even outside of West Metro's main administration building in Lakewood, the fire rescue agency prepares the same way it expects everyone else to. It trims the trees next to the building regularly and uses rocks or non-combustible materials for landscaping. 

"We wouldn't want evergreens or bushes like this near your house because the chances of it drying out and catching fire are really high," Johnson explained, He showed a hedge on the other side of the parking lot away from the building. 

While metro area residents might think of defensible space as something that only exists for houses in the foothills or more forested areas, neighborhoods and suburbs can also do their part to keep fires from getting worse. 

As temperatures stay near 100 degrees, fuels such as plants and trees get dry, and fire agencies keep a close eye on everything happening in their area.   

"Sometimes, it takes neighbors working together," Johnson said. "You can do a lot to your home to prepare it for a fire, but, if your neighbors aren't doing things to help their house from catching on fire, it could expose your house."