Before the Smoke Arrives
Don’t let this be your backyard
As summer approaches, conversations about wildfire season move to the forefront. While many people still associate major wildfires with eastern Oregon, recent years have shown that communities throughout the Willamette Valley are not immune. Whether you live on five acres outside of town or in a neighborhood subdivision, creating defensible space around your home is one of the most effective things you can do to reduce wildfire risk.
During my nine years serving as a firefighter & officer in a busy fire department, a lesson that was repeated over and over was: preparation matters. The best time to create defensible space was last month. The second-best time is this weekend.
A good starting point is to think in three zones:
Zone 1 (0-5 feet from the home): Keep this area as free of combustible materials as possible. Remove dead vegetation, keep roofs and gutters clear of debris, and avoid storing firewood or other fuels against the house.
Zone 2 (5-30 feet): Maintain lawns, trim shrubs, and remove ladder fuels that allow a ground fire to climb into tree canopies. This is where a quality mower, string trimmer, or hedge trimmer can make quick work of vegetation management.
Zone 3 (30-100 feet): Focus on reducing fuel loads and creating separation between trees and brush. Chainsaws and pole saws are valuable tools for limbing trees and removing dead or overcrowded growth. Think of it as a haircut for your property.
What can you do to keep this from happening to you?
Don't overlook access. Fire apparatus, utility crews, and emergency responders all benefit from clear driveways, visible addresses, and trimmed vegetation along access routes. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but it’s an investment in your safety as well!
Many homeowners put wildfire-preparation projects off because they assume they'll take forever, or don’t own the equipment to do them. The reality is that tree limbing, brush reduction, mowing overgrown areas, and debris cleanup can often be knocked out in a single weekend with rented equipment and a little planning.
Wildfire preparedness doesn't have to be overwhelming. A few hours spent cleaning up around your property today can pay dividends when fire season arrives. Small projects completed now are often easier and far less stressful than trying to prepare when smoke is already on the horizon.