The Jacksonville Fire Department, Jacksonville CERT, and Oregon Department of Forestry are teaming-up to expand the number of Firewise Communities within Jacksonville. On November 13 at 6:00pm, a Town Hall Meeting will take place in the Naversen Room of the Jacksonville Library to explain how we can make the entire city of Jacksonville “Firewise.” Refreshments will be served at the event.
The board members of the Westmont Community will explain how they were assisted in making the Westmont Community into a model Firewise neighborhood for the rest of the city to follow. A presentation and Q&A session will cover what steps need to be taken to form 6 targeted areas into Firewise Communities. Key areas to form Firewise communities include sections of Coachman Hills, Conestoga, Fifth Street, Third and Fourth Streets and Applegate, South Oregon/Hill Street and Streets adjacent to the Cemetery.
Following a very active fire season, a prolonged drought, and devastating fires in Weed, California, there’s great interest in preventing a catastrophic wild fire from threatening our residents. This Town Hall Meeting will help in organizing and forming 6 additional Firewise Communities.
A grant has been obtained to assist in the expansion of the Firewise Program with funding to also help educate residents on creating defensible space and determining what fire-resistant plants are best. Funds will also be available for mitigation of juniper, black berries, poison oak and other combustibles, which are found in our hillsides. The Firewise program also provides funding for large collection bins to encourage mitigation and a free spot to drop-off targeted yard debris.
Jacksonville Fire is hopeful that our City will unite in the effort to increase the number of Firewise Communities and head-off and/or mitigate the threat of wild fire.
For more information, please contact Firewise Coordinator, Michele Brown-Riding at 541-846-1460 or michele@apbb.net.
Featured image is of the September 2014 Boles Fire in Weed, CA