The Colorado Springs Fire Department’s Mitigation Section and City Parks’ and Forestry staff are teaming with community volunteers to complete fire mitigation work at Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site starting Thursday, Oct. 28.

Prevention efforts, which are scheduled to conclude with a community volunteer day on Saturday, Oct. 30, will include limbing, thinning, chipping dead and fallen woody debris and removing dead and diseased Gambel oak, junipers and chokecherry trees on about a quarter acre, according to a news release from the city of Colorado Springs. The work is intended to support a healthy oak brush ecosystem.

“We are excited to be working with the community to share the responsibility of fire mitigation, especially at such an important cultural asset like Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site,” said Cory Ashby, Colorado Springs Fire Department wildfire program coordinator, in the release. “This work is important because of the adjacent hiking trails, historic buildings on the property, plus the animals that reside nearby on the ranch and in the wild. In the event of a wildfire, we want to ensure that the fire stays low to the ground and is easily manageable without harming life or structures.”

Anyone interested in volunteering on Saturday may register online at cervistech.com/acts/console.php?console_type=event_list&event_id=3167&console_id=0132&ht=1.