Tom McMackin
We’re at the crispy, sizzling end of the summer. Fire danger is extremely high. If you haven’t completed outside fire protection projects or still have last minute details to contend with, there are some simple things you can do to create defensible space around your house and other structures or sensitive areas. You can initiate or continue incorporating the Firewise 5’/30’/100’ protection zones concept to proactively prepare for a fire emergency.
How? Start with inspecting all roof areas of any structures. Clean any debris resting on the roof, in its valleys or other nooks or crannies. Coming down from the roof, clear gutters, put screening on vents and generally tidy up down to the ground at the foundation and 5’ outward from the foundation. This will make it difficult for fire running on the ground or embers drifting up with smoke or carried by the wind to get a toe-hold and kindle a new fire in immediate contact with your property.
The next phase involves stepping back to survey areas that are within 30’ of property that needs protection. Taking care of this area will give first responders a fighting chance to put their skills and experience to work protecting your property safely and effectively. Avoid using power tools that could spark a fire in dry fuels.
Here’s a reminder link that speaks to preparing your property for wild/forest fire events:
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/forestFire/preparing.html. This has excellent information and at the bottom, under the ‘Home Ignition Zones’ tab, is an illustration of the protection zones concept.
Evacuation:
What if that knock on your door comes at 2 AM? What will you do? What can you do? Thinking through those ‘what ifs’ and preparing for the possibility will transform the trauma of that moment into effective action and give you some peace of mind in the midst of the swirling chaos of an evacuation order.
This link offers “How to Prioritize an Evacuation List” – one approach to listing time and priority tasks for evacuation action. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4EjTfXhwMcwelFqUFUydEQzR3M/view
This link has a good, printable list of things to do before a wildfire event, when wildfire threatens, and if advised to evacuate. https://mil.wa.gov/asset/5ba42010c6f26.
Resources:
Contact Tom McMackin – For more information on the ‘Firewise’ and ‘Ready, Set, Go!’ programs; if you have comments, questions, or suggestions; to get more involved with the High Prairie FireWise effort; or to get connected with available resources, contact Tom by email at firewise.onhighprairie@gmail.com or by phone message at 509-365-2786.
Online resources:
CalFire: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/
Preparing for Wildfire: https://tinyurl.com/5y3zkn43
WA Evacuation levels: https://tinyurl.com/3rj3dbc5
WA Wildfire & Smoke information: https://www.dnr.wa.gov/Wildfires or https://tinyurl. com/2m79f34v
FireWise: http://www.firewise.org or https://tinyurl.com/2p85str8
Ready, Set, Go! http://www.wildlandfirersg.org