AUGUST 5 - 12, 2026
THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE FOR GRAND JUNCTION BUSINESS & COMMUNITY NEWS SINCE 1994
Protection from wildfire starts with preparation Brandon Leuallen
A
The Business Times
s western Colorado continues to experience drought conditions and elevated wildfire danger, fires have burned across the region this summer, including along the Colorado River corridor and in neighborhoods in Mesa County. Some have been sparked by lightning, others by downed power lines, and authorities say some have been intentionally set. The Two Rivers Wildfire Coalition says one of the most effective ways to protect a home begins long before smoke appears on the horizon. While many people picture homes catching fire as flames reach the structure, Two Rivers Wildfire Coalition Executive Director John Rizza said most homes are actually ignited by wind-blown embers that can travel well ahead of the main fire. Rizza shared a list of tips and resource guides with The Business Times for hardening homes and properties against wildfire risk. “Most homes ignite by embers, not the fire front,” Rizza said. “You can find photos where the house is gone, but the trees around it are still green.” Those embers can accumulate on roofs, decks and in gutters or be pulled into attic and crawl space vents, igniting a home from the inside. Rizza said research has shown that reducing places where embers can enter and removing combustible debris buildup from on and around a home can significantly improve a structure’s chances of surviving a wildfire. See story Page 5
VOLUME 33, ISSUE 31
THEBUSINESSTIMES.COM
Equipped to slash and burn
Ecoburn began providing firefuel mitigation via air-curtain burners in the spring — See Page 2 ECOburn owners Robert Andrews, left, and Kyle Andrews stand next to their Air Burners T24 Burn Boss, which is a trailer-style air-curtain burner that Robert said allows ECOburn to “burn just about anywhere. We can go into an area, a neighborhood, a small lot basically and burn right there. There’s no smoke. There’s no smell. I mean, if there is a smell, it’s a very faint smell.” Photo by Tim Harty.
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