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HIZ Assessment Workshop

Bring science-based home ignition and property mitigation expertise to your neighborhood.

Thanks to outreach funding from the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), the Southern Colorado Neighborhood Ambassador Program is offering a full-day educational outreach opportunity for communities interested in increasing wildfire resilience. This workshop is ideal for neighborhoods working to become more wildfire-ready through landowner-led mitigation and defensible space efforts.

Why Host a HIZ Assessment Workshop?

The HIZ Assessment Workshop is designed to empower community leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to evaluate wildfire risks around homes and take meaningful action. It’s a “teach-the-teacher” model, where local leaders and neighbors learn how to conduct their own Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) assessments and then bring that knowledge to others in their community.

Participants will:

  • Learn the science behind how homes ignite during wildfires

  • Conduct real-time assessments of neighborhood homes

  • Practice evaluating defensible space and structural vulnerabilities

  • Become trained leaders who can support ongoing assessments across the community

Workshop Structure

The HIZ Assessment Workshop is typically a one-day, hands-on event held in your neighborhood. The day includes:

Participants are asked to view a short video series ahead of time that explains the HIZ concept, zones, and assessment process.

Led by a regional mitigation expert, the group visits 3–6 homes in your neighborhood to conduct real-time assessments. We recommend choosing a variety of homes to reflect different building styles, topography, and vegetation.

Participants leave the workshop with a deeper understanding of how to improve their own property’s wildfire safety and a plan for expanding assessments in the community.

Getting Started: Ambassador Task List

If you’re a Neighborhood Ambassador interested in organizing a workshop, here’s how to get started:

  1. Coordinate with Your SoCo NA Coordinator

    Work with your regional contact to identify a certified instructor for your area.

  2. Select Homes for Assessment

    Choose 3–6 homes representing different sizes, ages, and vegetation types.

  3. Set the Event Date

    Coordinate with your neighbors and instructor to select a date, time, and lunch location.

  4. Promote the Workshop

    Your coordinator will help you customize flyers, social media graphics, and yard signs for your neighborhood.

  5. Distribute Prerequisites

    Send out the video training links and required liability waiver to all participants ahead of time.

  6. Bring Necessary Materials

    Print and bring the attendance log and signed waivers to the event.

Marketing & Workshop Materials

SPAWP and the Ambassador Program provide customizable materials to support your event:

  • Flyer Templates (PowerPoint, JPG, PDF formats)
  • Workshop Sign-in Sheet
  • Liability Waiver
  • HIZ Assessment Worksheets from the Colorado State Forest Service
  • Printed hard copies available upon request

Interested in Hosting a Workshop?

Contact your regional Neighborhood Ambassador Coordinator to get started:

Lisa Garrison, Executive Director SPAWP

Yates McConnell, Middle Arkansas Watershed Coordinator, ARWC

TBD