Tonights message about wildfire prevention is a news release issued on Friday from our partners at the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership - Scofmp. that relates to taking assertive defensible space action to help protect your home, your property, and your life, or even the lives of others, including firefighters. The photos are of homes in different geographical areas of Oregon, but both are located in what is often called the wildland urban interface, and both homes show defensible space measures that have been taken, including applandscaping, that can help save those values and peoples lives in the event of a wildfire, Photo credits: Oregon Department of Forestry. Have a good rest of the evening. Jeri ********** Aug. 14, 2014 SCOFMP Fire Information Officers: Erica Hupp 541-883-6715 Lisa Swinney 541-947-6261 Kevin Abel 541-698-0017 DEFENSIBLE SPACE IS KEY TO PROTECTING HOMES FROM WILDFIRES Lakeview, OR – Defensible space around your home may save your home, your life, or the life of a firefighter. Maintaining defensible space around your home is the most important step you can take to protect your home from wildfire. Defensible space is the prepared area around a structure which has been cleared of combustible materials and where precautions have been taken to reduce fire ignitions. It’s also called the Home Ignition Zone. Oregon Department of Forestry advises property owners to trim trees at least 10 feet from the roof-line; remove any combustibles like leaves or pine needles from the roof and gutters; rake leaves and debris from the yard; keep the grass mown; remove highly flammable vegetation from within at least 100 feet of the structure; and make sure firewood, lawnmowers and gas cans are stored away from the structure. All these simple things can help save homes. Choosing the right plant, spacing and maintenance are critical to lowering risk. Choose plant species that are more resistant to wildfire. For example, hardwood trees are less flammable than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus or fir trees. Firewise homes are not only safer but more valuable in the marketplace. Homeowners can get detailed information on reducing risk from the Firewise Communities Web site at firewise.org. Firewise Communities is a cooperative effort of federal, state and private agencies and organizations to promote fire safety in the wildland urban interface. Firewise compliant homes are less likely to be affected by a wildfire. -end-
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 03:48:11 +0000
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