Firewise Committee Targets Wildfire Safety

James Day

FirewiseCommunitiesLogoColorThe High Prairie Firewise Committee is up and working. Members have been drawn from each of the areas on High Prairie. Current members are:

Fred Henchell/James Day of High Prairie Road area
Phillip Haner of Centerville Highway area
Tom McMackin of Struck Road area
Chris Sattem of Shilling Road area
Matt Kotwasinski of Whites Ranch Road
Jeff McMullin of Stacker Butte Road area.
Larry Dennis of  South Prairie Road area
Maxine Thompson of South Prairie area.
[We still need someone from Knight-Dillacort area.]

The two things that are most significant in the application for Firewise Community* membership are a count of the number of residents within HP Fire District 14 and the development of a plan to address things identified in the Fire District 14 assessment performed by Scott Brewer in 2013. Part of the plan is to address the high-to-moderate-risk residential structures identified in that evaluation (which is virtually all of us) with distributed educational materials, community workshops and courtesy site visits by District 14 volunteers trained to identify hazards and provide feedback directly to residents.

Further items included in the Firewise plan should be the creation of a communication and evacuation plan for this community in the event of a large scale wildland fire or other natural disaster. To that end individuals should be made aware of the risk level of their area, not just their own structures, and make plans to care for their animals and families in the event of large scale wildfire. Special methods should be put in place to identify and help those less able to evacuate rapidly such as the elderly. Road mile markers could be installed to help identify locations throughout  District 14 that would be easily seen in smoky conditions. State highways likely to be vital evacuation corridors should be examined for hazards to safe traffic flow and Firewise volunteers trained to work with others directing evacuations.

DNR is eager to help work on road corridors which should be cleared of fuels to create safe routes for fire vehicles and everyone else in the event of wildland fire. The DNR and the conservation district out of the Goldendale office are very supportive of this effort as it helps them protect their lands and keep fire from crossing from public lands into private holdings. With Firewise Community national status High Prairie should be first in line to receive support on community projects in public areas such as the fuel-filled areas along Struck Road and Centerville Highway as well as individual projects to help residents make their homes and livestock more fire safe.

Kaci Bartkowski with the Conservation District has offered to do a driving evaluation of the public areas within the community to help add to the residential evaluations Scott Brewer did in 2013. Once this is done we will be much closer to understanding what actions should be taken by the community to reduce risk. Central Klickitat county has been identified as at high risk for wildfire for various reasons and some of that risk must be addressed by local residents to reduce the impact of any wildfire in the area.

By participating with the Firewise Committee all community members will benefit in more secure properties and a better trained volunteer fire district staff. Homeowner insurance companies will take note of this qualification and are encouraging participation in Firewise.  Membership in national Firewise will also establish with state and county agencies our existing efforts and encourage their support in removing fuels in public and private areas.

*For an overview of the Firewise Communities Program, read the article by Gwen Berry.

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