GTG
Was lost but now am found
Joined: 30 Dec 2002
Posts: 2387
Location: Peoria, Arizona, originally from Rocket City, USA
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 Posted: 6/25/2005, 12:39 pm Post subject: Homeowners glad they took defensive steps months ago |
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From today's Arizona Republic -
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0625wildfire-defense25.html
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Homeowners glad they took defensive steps months ago
Holly Johnson
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 25, 2005 12:00 AM
Owners of the Sears K ranch took fire officials' advice early and created defensible space around the privately owned property just a half-mile from the "Cave Creek Complex" fire.
They put a metal, not cedar, roof on their structures; cleared the spaces between buildings of brown, parched weeds; and even went as far as burying a million-gallon water tank so they would have a ready supply of water if a fire began.
This week nearly a dozen homes have been destroyed and dozens more are at risk as wildfires continue to burn throughout Arizona. And officials say that some of those may have been saved had they, too, created a defensible space.
As early as April, Valley fire departments began warning residents of wildfire danger in urban and rural areas alike, urging homeowners to clear brush and dead plants and grasses within 30 feet of structures.
Valley residents are well accustomed to the concept of building a protective barrier around their homes, but "that doesn't mean they'll do it," said Dave Killebrew, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman.
"See, this makes things better for us," said Dick Fleischman, motioning to two hotshot crews slumped in the shade of tree branches outside the ranch. "It allows them to look and say, 'OK, we don't have a lot of work to do here. We can put an engine here and monitor this and focus back on fighting back this fire.' "
Nick Gillespie, 22, a hotshot from Alpine, Colo., said defensible space makes his job "a whole lot easier."
"In an area like this, people just need to assume fire can happen, and they need to be aware of how quickly things can spread," he said.
Fleischman said wildfires aren't confined to rural areas: A stray cigarette ember can spark a blaze, even in a developed subdivision.
Alison Cooper, a spokeswoman for Rural/Metro Fire Department, said homeowners shouldn't be afraid to clear dead brush.
"It's not about messing with the landscape," she said. "If you clear underlying weeds and debris, you're fine. That growth is very seasonal; it comes back every year. It's about getting yourself a protective barrier."
Lorraine Mathews, administrative assistant for the Christopher-Kohl's Fire District north of Payson, said that the message of trying to get area residents to have 30 feet of defensible space around structures has been "very hit-and-miss."
All of which is surprising, Mathews said, because of the proximity of last year's huge "Willow" fire, the "Dude" fire 15 years ago and a fire in neighboring Tonto Village last year that charred several hundred acres.
"Only about one-third of our 1,500 to 2,000 homes are occupied full time," Mathews said. "It's the part-time residents that have more of that 'Well, we have insurance' attitude. Most of the people who live here full time are real aggressive in keeping their properties cleaned of fuels."
Rick Winton, a defensible-space expert for the Payson Fire Department, said the Willow fire in particular got local residents moving on trimming trees and brush and picking up around their properties.
"We've gotten grants to do things like set up huge dumpsters for the forest waste, and we haul it away for free," Winton said.
"The property owners on the outskirts of town have paid very close attention to this since they are in such a high-risk area for fire."
Three years ago, wildfires ravaged Keith Lindley's summer home in San Felipe. He was caught unaware, he'll admit. But the San Diego native has redoubled his efforts to protect his retreat in Middle Camp Creek.
Lindley, 65, is retired but performs yard work and maintenance for his neighbors in the Tonto National Forest. His own house, a fixer-upper that was spared in the "Cave Creek Complex" fire, isn't insured. But he says he does all he can to help neighbors in the area prepare for wildfire season.
"This is a secondary loss to me, because this is a second home," he said. "But some people live here full time, basically. And that's who's hurt by this."
Gov. Janet Napolitano on Friday urged homeowners to create defensible space around their homes.
"It will give us and the firefighters a chance to come in and help you," she said.
We must be so careful with fire," she said. "Even the most inadvertent spark can literally set off another fire."
Reporters Judi Villa and Mark Shaffer contributed to this article.
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A few days worth of work can save years worth of memories. If you've got propoerty you better clear it around the dwellings.
GTG
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Good things come to those who walk. |
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