May 5, 2020 3:20 a.m.
May is Wildfire Awareness Month in Oregon and federal, state, and firefighting agencies are encouraging residents to make sure their homes and property are protected from fire.
A release from the Oregon State Fire Marshal said that office along with the Oregon Department of Forestry, and Keep Oregon Green, in collaboration with Oregon forest protective associations, the Office of Emergency Management and federal wildland agencies, are taking the opportunity to promote defensible space around homes before fire strikes this summer. The release said with many Oregonians spending more time at home due to statewide efforts to control the spread of COVID-19, residents can use the coming weeks to reduce risks and make their homes and communities safer.
Oregon State Fire Marshal Jim Walker said residents should keep their roofs, gutters and eaves clear of all leaves, pine needles and other flammable debris.
To reduce the risk, fire officials suggest removing dead vegetation a minimum of 30 feet around homes, and other structures. Trees should be pruned and grass should be kept short and green to keep fire on the ground and more manageable by fire crews. The release said there should be a five-foot fire free area closest to the home using nonflammable landscaping material and fire-resistant plants.
ODF Fire Prevention Coordinator Tom Fields said defensible space is a property’s first line of defense against wildfire. He said creating and maintaining defensible space around a home can improve the property’s likelihood of surviving a wildfire.
Kyle Reed of the Douglas Forest Protective Association talked about Wildfire Awareness Month and the upcoming fire season on the Morning Conversation Monday on News Radio 1240 KQEN. That interview is a KQEN Podcast at www.541radio.com.