A case study of a community affected by the Waldo fire (CO, USA) - event timeline and defensive actions

This study of Colorado’s devastating 2012 Waldo Canyon wildfire demonstrates that prompt and effective action can significantly change the outcome of fires that occur in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). Along with the most detailed timeline for a WUI fire ever created, the study report presents 37 technical findings that serve as the basis for 13 technical recommendations aimed at improving community resilience to wildfires.

This work attempts to reconstruct the fire timeline in MSC with special focus on burning structures. The extent and type of defensive actions that were undertaken during the first ten hours after the Waldo Canyon Fire reached MSC are presented. An assessment of the quality, quantity and uncertainty related to data used to reconstruct the fire timeline and defensive actions is also conducted. The information presented in this report represents the first steps required for further examination of structure response to the fire exposure. Furthermore, it can provide input, together with additional research, to improve WUI building and landscaping (construction) codes and standards, and best practices.