Living with fire is a part of life in the watershed. CUSP has a mission to help teach how, not to avoid, but to co-exist and survive fire. CUSP staff members: Mark Herndon, Jon Bruno, Jeff Tienken, Jeff Ravage, Brad Ziemer, Patrick Gayner, Mario Mora and Bruce Metzger are all red-carded wildland firefighters. They are affliliated with Florissant_Volunteer_Fire_and_Rescue, Mountain_Communities_Volunteer_Fire_Dept., and the Teller Co. Wildland Task Force. They are one prong of CUSP's attack on wildfires. The other is our role in helping communities obtain CWPP's (Community Wildfire Protection Plans).
Living in the high forest is living with fire. The main question is not IF it will happen, but HOW will you deal with it. A healthy forest is one that can burn without becomming an out of control wildfire. A survivable home is one with Defensible Space. Below are a list of resources for living with fire.