WILDFIRE COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS DAY is a national Firewise campaign to raise awareness and reduce risks from wildfires. Jacksonville is vulnerable to wildfires due to many homes that are located in close proximity to woodlands and forests. Because of severe drought and upcoming extremely hot weather, this summer and early fall promises to be another bad year for severe wildfires.

Jacksonville’s Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is Saturday, May 3, 9am-1pm, in the D Street Parking lot. Residents of Jacksonville may bring branches and other vegetation to be chipped and disposed of. Two dumpsters will be available, one for small vegetation debris, and one for clean, woody-debris that needs to be chipped. Members of the Jacksonville Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) coordinate and manage the event in conjunction with the Jacksonville Fire Department.

Please take advantage of this opportunity to dispose of branches, dead trees, dead shrubs and leaves found on your property. Removing dead vegetation and debris, removing/trimming flammable trees and shrubs in close proximity to your home, pruning tree limbs so that the lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet above the ground and removing dead leaves will help protect your home from wildfire.

For questions, please contact Linda Davis, Jacksonville Firewise Coordinator, at lmdavis425@gmail.com, or by phone at (541) 690-5688 or Jeff McFarland, Jacksonville Deputy Firewise Coordinator at jeffreymcfarland@charter.net or by phone at 541-601-3926.