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Structure Assessment Color Codes

Incident Information Contacts:
(406)755-3910 (voice) and (406)755-3931 (fax)

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In order for fire fighters to quickly, safely, and effectively protect homes and other structures from an advancing wildfire, structure assessment is done as far in advance as possible.

Fire fighters visit home sites, and evaluate how defensible the buildings are from wildfire. Important factors they consider are:

  • Clearance around the building of flammable vegetation.
  • Access and egress for firefighting personnel and equipment.
  • Availability of water.
  • General condition and amount of flammable vegetation in the area.
  • Topography.

Essentially fire fighters must use their best judgment considering a worse case fire scenario. Based on this, the structure is determined to be either defensible, defensible if some work is completed, or indefensible. Properties are marked with colored ribbon to indicate the condition so that forces can quickly take the appropriate action under short notification. It is important for home owners to understand the meaning of the structure assessment flagging.

  • Green: This color means the property is defensible. Forces can normally stay with the structure safely even while the fire burns through the area. These are usually properties where homeowners have invested significant effort to provide good access and clearance around homes and out-buildings.
  • Yellow: This color signifies that arriving forces can enter the property; take defensive action (such as foaming the house), and then leave the area before the fire arrives. This may be due to egress difficulties, or other factors such as flammable vegetation in the general area that make it important for the fire fighters to move out of the area to maintain their safety.
  • Red: This means the property is indefensible. In other words, fire fighters lives would be jeopardized if an attempt to defend the structure was made under fire conditions expected. If fire behavior is more moderate than expected, some action may still be taken to defend the structure. This would be done if in the judgment of the on-scene forces, it could be done safely. For example, a nighttime backing fire might allow for safe defensive action.
  • Blue: Blue ribbon indicates the presence of a dependable water source useable by engines to defend the structures from wildfire.

The structure assessment is done as far in advance of the need to defend the homes as possible. It may not be done before residents receive a fire activity advisory. This commonly could be caused by a shortage of available resources, or higher priority structure assessment/protection needs. if you have any questions or concerns, call the Swan Valley Ecosystem Center at the Condon Workcenter for clarification or more information at 754-2295, 754-2291, or 754-3137.

['Mandatory' & 'Advisory' Defined][Flagging Color Codes]

 

Flathead National Forest
1935 3rd Avenue, East
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406)758-5200
(406)758-5363 - FAX)
(406)758-5367 - TDD)

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