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Wildfire-Smart Remodeling: Decks, Siding, and Landscaping Details That Help Homes Pass New Resiliency Standards

  • Writer: Oliver Owens
    Oliver Owens
  • Oct 31, 2025
  • 4 min read

Front Range homeowners aren’t just remodeling for looks anymore. With Colorado’s new wildfire resiliency standards rolling out and Colorado Springs adopting WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) requirements, the smartest projects blend design with ignition-resistant details—so you pass plan review, protect your home, and boost long-term value. The EnergyLogic, Inc.+1

Modern home entry at night with a red front door, floor-to-ceiling windows with blinds, covered porch, and curved paver walkway framed by plants.

Below is a plain-English guide to the upgrades that matter most—what inspectors look for, where embers actually enter, and how O’Shea’s coordinates decks, siding, and landscape work so everything lines up at inspection.


What changed—and why it matters for your remodel


Colorado’s 2025 Wildfire Resiliency Code highlights Class A roofing, noncombustible or ignition-resistant exterior materials, and ember-resistant vents and enclosed eaves. Colorado Springs already requires mitigation measures for new work in designated WUI areas and publishes an Ignition-Resistant Construction manual and Appendix K detail set for builders and homeowners. Translation: more projects will be reviewed for wildfire measures, not just aesthetics. The EnergyLogic, Inc.+2coloradosprings.gov+2


Colorado Springs Fire Department also provides defensible-space standards and vegetation rules—so your landscape plan is part of passing inspection, too. gis.coloradosprings.gov+1


Where homes actually ignite (and how to fix it)


Embers start most structure losses in wildfires. Research from IBHS shows two of the biggest weak points are vents (embers blow into attics/crawlspaces) and decks (surface debris or heat under the deck). We design to block those entries while keeping your project beautiful. ibhs.org+1

  • Vents: Use ember-/fire-resistant vents or cover with ≤1/8-inch metal mesh; enclose eaves/soffits where required. Keep 6 inches of ground-to-siding clearance at grade. wildfireprepared.org

  • Decks: Choose ignition-resistant or noncombustible boards and screen the underside to stop debris and embers. Maintain a noncombustible strip (rock or pavers) around the perimeter. (Details vary by risk zone and Appendix K.) codes.iccsafe.org+1


The wildfire-smart remodel sequence (what to do first)


1) Start outside: roof, gutters, and wall edges

  • Roof: If you’re replacing, choose Class A assemblies and keep gutters/downspouts free of debris (or use noncombustible options). The EnergyLogic, Inc.

  • Gutters/fascia/eaves: Enclose soffits in higher-risk zones and specify metal drip edge; these small transitions are common ember traps. The EnergyLogic, Inc.


Where O’Shea’s helps: We coordinate roofer specs with siding and vent decisions so your permit set shows a complete ignition-resistant “edge” detail—what plan reviewers expect to see.


2) Siding + trim: choose materials that look great and pass review

  • Prioritize noncombustible or ignition-resistant claddings (fiber-cement, stucco, masonry, certain metals) with backer and flashing that close gaps.

  • Hold the bottom of siding ≥6 in. above grade and transition to a compact gravel strip at the foundation. wildfireprepared.org

Pro move: If you’re adding new windows, consider tempered or fire-rated units in higher-risk zones and upgrade weather-seals around doors/garage doors (Appendix K calls out tight tolerances—no big gaps). The EnergyLogic, Inc.


3) Decks: build for sun, hail, and embers

Decks are lifestyle gold in Colorado—but they’re often the weak link.

  • Boards & framing: Specify ignition-resistant surface materials; avoid open, debris-collecting gaps; use metal flashing where deck meets wall.

  • Underside: Screen or enclose to block tumbleweeds and embers; keep stored items away from joists.

  • Landing zone: Replace mulch under and around decks with rock or pavers. ibhs.org

O’Shea’s designs the deck, step, and siding interfaces together so you don’t end up with last-minute redlines.


4) Vents and penetrations: tiny parts, big impact

Replace attic/crawl vents with ember-resistant models or add ≤1/8-inch metal mesh; cover gable, ridge, and foundation vents consistently. Seal pipe and cable penetrations with proper collars and fire-resistant foam/mesh where Appendix K calls for it. wildfireprepared.org+1


5) Landscaping: defensible space that still looks designed

“Defensible space” isn’t bare dirt—it’s smart spacing and plant selection.

  • Immediate 0–5 ft: Keep noncombustible: rock, pavers, bare soil, or irrigated low-grow groundcovers; no shrubs under windows.

  • 0–30 ft (to property line): Thin and remove hazardous vegetation and ladder fuels; separate clusters with 10 ft clear areas or mowed grass ≤4 in. gis.coloradosprings.gov+1

  • Use the City’s landscape manual for approved plant lists and irrigation standards that support both water-wise and fire-wise goals. coloradosprings.gov

We’ll lay out a planting plan that reads premium (ornamentals, boulders, steel edging) while meeting spacing and materials rules.


Permits, maps, and inspections (so you pass the first time)

  • Check your risk zone: Use the Colorado Springs Wildfire Mitigation Map to see if your property is in WUI review territory before you design. gis.coloradosprings.gov

  • Follow local requirements: Colorado Springs Fire Department links WUI risk-reduction rules, the Ignition-Resistant Construction manual, and Appendix K (the detail book plans examiners use). coloradosprings.gov

  • Know the context: The City continues to fund wildfire mitigation (e.g., $2.4M in 2025), and CSU coordinates system-level risk work—another reason local reviewers take this seriously. coloradosprings.gov+2csu.org+2

O’Shea’s packages your architectural, exterior, and landscape notes into one submittal so reviewers see a coherent wildfire strategy—not scattered callouts.


Room-by-room: easy adds during common remodels


Quick homeowner checklist

  1. Look up your WUI status on the city’s map. gis.coloradosprings.gov

  2. Roof & edges: Class A roof, enclosed eaves where required, clean gutters, metal drip edges. The EnergyLogic, Inc.

  3. Siding & vents: Noncombustible/ignition-resistant cladding, ≤1/8-inch mesh vents, 6-inch ground clearance. wildfireprepared.org

  4. Deck plan: Ignition-resistant surface, screened underside, rock perimeter. ibhs.org

  5. Landscape set: Noncombustible 0–5 ft zone; thin and separate vegetation out to 30 ft (or to your property line). gis.coloradosprings.gov

  6. Package it: Put these notes on your permit drawings so plan review goes faster. coloradosprings.gov


Why hire O’Shea’s for wildfire-smart remodeling

  • One team for exterior + landscape + interiors—we coordinate details that cross trades (decks meeting siding, vent swaps during bath ceilings, rock borders at new patios).

  • Permit-ready drawings that include WUI callouts and Appendix K references the City expects to see. coloradosprings.gov

  • Design first, resilient always: Your home can be warm, modern, and inspection-ready.

 
 
 

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