If this past summer isn’t enough to convince you that your home needs to be fire-proofed, I don’t know what is. This especially pertains to those of you living in the outskirts, surrounded by trees and brush.
Dry conditions that we painfully experience during the summer months are only 6 months away, and if we have another dry winter, conditions could be explosive!
Although we tend to think of fires being a result of lightning associated with thunderstorms, just remember the Carr Fire. July 23, at 1:15 in the afternoon, a tire rolled off the rim of a trailer, sending sparks into the dry grass along the road. By the time they got the car stopped, the fire was already too large to contain. A little wind came up, and all too quickly, 230,000 acres were burned! Eight people were killed, and 1,600 structures were destroyed.
Don’t wait! Before you know it, you’ll be putting your sweaters away, getting out your shorts and flip-flops, and firing up the BBQ! This is a great time of year to take care of fire-proofing your home, as long as you’re already faced with raking leaves!
Clear away branches and shrubbery from around the roof, eaves, deck, and/or porch. Any and all dry matter should be cleared from around the house for at least 30 feet. Large trees should have branches cleared or thinned up to 6-10’ from the ground.
For more information regarding reducing wildfire risks, check Firewise.org.
If you want to plant something, refer to Fire Resistant Shrubs and Trees for Privacy in SW Oregon by Rhianna Simes. This can be found at the OSU Research Center on Hanley Road.