Prepare Your Property for Fire Season

Article by Jefferson Reeder

The Almeda fires, and many of the fires that have recently ripped though Oregon, caught many locals unawares, both because of the sudden growth of the fires, poor communication, and resulting confusion. As hard as it is to believe, the tragedies could have been much worse than they were. At CRT we saw firsthand the damage that was inflicted on communities across the state.

The good news is that now, several years later, communication and awareness of wildfire dangers are much better than they were.

And while it is never possible to avoid a sudden disaster, there are ways to prepare so that you can more effectively protect your property and your loved ones. This is crucial as much of Oregon has been already been declared at drought level.

With family, “go” bags are essential, as well as being plugged into an information network and knowing escape routes.

And in terms of property, the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal would like to remind Oregonians of the importance of defensible space around their home and property. 

Good defensible space can not only prevent embers from igniting your home, but it can also prevent flames from reaching your home altogether. You can protect your home and community from wildfire with some simple steps. 

A key to good defensible space is to keep it defined, keep grass and weeds cut low and always be prepared to respond to wildfire.

This starts with a good survey of your property.

Look for areas where glowing embers could ignite spot fires and vulnerable areas like decks, patios, and fences that can spread flames to your home. 

The most significant risk of buildings catching on fire during a wildfire is the advancing ember shower that can reach your property long before an actual flame front. 

“Wildfire safety starts with all of us and our property. Now is a good time to take action to prepare our homes, families, and communities for wildfires by starting on our property before there is smoke on the horizon,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. 

To address the risk of wildfire, the Office of State Fire Marshal recommends the following steps people can take to help protect themselves against the upcoming fire season.

Many of these steps in prevention also involve not so much money as sweat equity. Working together with a neighborhood group might speed the process for everyone.

And in other good news, many of these steps fall into the ‘spring cleaning’ category…so maybe that will make it easier to get motivated ☺.

• Clear roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris, and pine needles that could catch embers

• Ensure your roof is in good repair

• Move any flammable material away from exterior walls, i.e., mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles

• Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches

• Keep lawns and native grasses mowed during high fire danger conditions.

• Remove ladder fuels (vegetation under trees) so a surface fire cannot reach the crowns.

This not only helps with your property, it helps with protecting your community as well. And if there’s one thing at CRT that we’ve learned, a community that works together has unlimited potential.

Being pro-active has other benefits as well.

“By taking a neighborhood approach to defensible space and community preparedness, you also protect our firefighters,” Ruiz-Temple said.

“Ultimately, individuals taking the right steps on their property before fire season will make firefighters safer and more effective.”

An ounce of prevention now pay big dividends in the future.