Marshall Fire MAT: Best Practices for Wildfire-Resilient Subdivision Planning

This report provides best practices for subdivision and community-scale planning to enhance wildfire resilience, based on findings from the Marshall Fire Mitigation Assessment Team’s evaluation of building performance after the 2021 Marshall Fire in Colorado. It addresses wildfire hazard assessment, development siting, housing density, access and evacuation planning, landscaping, and protection of critical infrastructure. The guidance is intended for builders, planning professionals, homeowner associations, and land resource managers to inform policy, regulatory, and design decisions for both new and existing residential and commercial developments in wildfire-prone areas. The document emphasizes integrating wildfire risk reduction into early planning and ongoing management of communal open spaces and neighborhood layouts.