Preparing to evacuate because of a wildfire is now a year-round reality in Colorado, with destructive, deadly wildfires possible every month of the year, according to state officials.

Colorado’s “core wildfire season” is now 78 days longer than it was 50 years ago, according to the state Division of Fire Prevention & Control, and state forest service experts estimate nearly half of all Coloradans are at risk from wildfires.

Residents can prepare for a possible wildfire evacuation or a pre-evacuation warning by gathering important supplies and documents and making their home as fire-resistant as possible through these guidelines from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Colorado State Forest Service and Colorado Springs Fire Department.

Supplies for wildfire emergency kit or go-bag

• Three-day supply of water (1 gallon per person per day) and non-perishable food
• First aid kit and sanitation supplies, including toilet paper and baby wipes
• Flashlight, battery-powered radio such as a NOAA Weather Radio and extra batteries
• Extra set of car keys, credit cards and cash
• Extra eyeglasses, contacts, prescriptions and a week’s supply of necessary medications
• Important documents and phone numbers, including insurance information
• Printed map with evacuation routes marked in case your phone dies
• Valuables or irreplaceable items you can easily carry
• Personal electronic devices and chargers
• A pair of old shoes and flashlight in case of a sudden evacuation at night
• Other items needed by your family, such as baby supplies, games and activities for children, pet supplies, two-way radios and a manual can opener

What to do during a wildfire pre-evacuation warning

• Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice and monitor local news for updates.
• Listen to your instincts. If you think you should evacuate even if you haven’t received an official notice, evacuate now.
• Back your car into the garage or park it facing the direction of escape.
• Put your emergency kit, important items and valuable papers inside your car.
• Wear protective clothing outside, such as sturdy shoes, cotton or wool clothing, long pants and a shirt, gloves and a handkerchief over your face.
• Put your pets in one room so you can find them easily if you need to evacuate.
• Set up temporary housing at a friend or family member’s home outside of the evacuation area.
• Close outside doors, windows and vents but leave them unlocked.
• Close inside doors to prevent drafts.
• Shut off natural gas or propane at the source.
• Connect garden hoses to outside faucets and fill any pools, hot tubs, tubs, garbage cans or large containers with water.
• Remove flammable drapes and curtains and close all shutters and blinds.
• Move flammable furniture to the center of your home, away from windows and sliding glass doors.
• Move flammable items outside your home, like patio furniture, children’s toys or firewood, as far from the house as possible.
• Leave interior and exterior lights on so firefighters can see in smoky conditions.
• Shut off the air conditioning and sprinkler system.
• Disconnect automatic garage door openers so they can still be opened if the power goes out, but leave them closed.
• Check on your neighbors to make sure they’re preparing to leave.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – People across Colorado Springs say they love to celebrate for several reasons, some tell me they enjoy being with friends and family. Others say every fourth to them means a little bit more after their decades of service.

“I’m obviously a 20-year veteran so yes that’s why,” Colorado Springs resident Darrell Glover said. “My son and I are going to spend a little time eating and hanging out.”

Crowds of people swarmed the grounds of Vista Park in the Banning Lewis Ranch neighborhood. Celebrating Independence Day some going to the inflatable slides, some playing volleyball while others grabbed freshly made burgers.

Across town, thousands bought tickets to see the Switchbacks play and stay afterward for one of the largest fireworks shows in Colorado springs at Wiedner Field.

“It’s the best show in town and we have a wonderful time,” Annie Coffman said. “We have a wonderful country and we want to make sure that everybody knows it.”

Earlier in the day people lined the streets for an annual Fourth of July parade in monument, dressed in red white and blue waving the American flag. For some people in the springs, the Fourth of July means more than just grilling, watching fireworks and having a drink.

“I think it’s good to be around the people you love it’s just like that’s something that’s really special is a day out of the work week usually reach me around the family that you love and the country that we all care for,” Ryan Walker said.

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A human case of the plague has turned up in Colorado, health officials say.

There were no immediate details about the victim — including age, gender or condition — or how they contracted the potentially deadly infection.

It was reported in Pueblo County south of Colorado Springs, officials said.

A resident died from the plague in Archuleta County in southwest Colorado last fall — although cases are typically rare in the US, usually numbering fewer than 17 annually, health officials said.

“In the Middle Ages, plague was labeled ‘Black Death’ as it swept through Europe killing millions of people,’’ Pueblo County’s Department of Health says on its website, referring to how the horror left many of its victims with black rotting splotches on their bodies.

“Today, improved sanitation practices and rodent control has reduced the threat,” the DOH said.

The infamous bacterial infection is frequently transferred from rodents and their fleas to humans.

Symptoms can include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes and headaches.

The disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics if caught early enough, authorities said.