Big bad firetrucks on the Kilchis

[Jennie@ifish]

It's always been scary to me to think of a forest fire, here.
There is only one way out of here! We live on a dead end road.

We could always just grab an inner tube or raft and float downstream, but!!!

Anyhow, over half a dozen firetrucks just headed up the logging road across the river. Scary! They were headed somewhere in a hurry! Haven't seen them come back... It is hazy here, but I think it's just haze.

No inner tubes necessary, yet!

Jen

[judyfish99]

Is everything OK there, Jennie? judyfish99

[Jennie@ifish]

Yes. O.K. here... Hope everything is alright with the others that live up that way!

Jen

[Straydog]

Glad to hear all is well.

I too live on a dead end in the woods and every summer I am on my toes...... A whiff of smoke or the sight of a fire truck will send chills up my spine. Unfortunately, inner tubes is not an option on Straydog Mountain as our creek is now more like puddles already.

As the BLM and OSF tells us, it is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when..........

The very hot, very dry came early down here this year it seems.

[Corkie Monster]

Wildland Fire in the Urban Interface, a very serious subject. One of the best things to do to protect your families and homes is to create Defensible Space. I've been in many of these situations in my yrs of battling Wildland Fire. Defensible Space is critical!! In most serious Urban Interface situations homes are scouted out and deemed either defensible or hopeless. Fire Fighters in most cases will focus on saving the homes with defensible space before they attempt to save a hopeless property. Just your property is not the only thing you need to worry about. You also need to consider Ingress/Egress. Will your roads/bridges/drive ways support fire fighting equipment? Fire engines can weigh up to 45,000 lbs or more!! Are your roads/drive ways wide enough? Fire Fighter/Civilian safety is #1 in these situations, if Fire Fighter/Civilian safety is at stake then structure protection for that area will most likely be called off. Just a few things to think about for those of you who live in these wild/country settings. Wildland Fire Season has only just begun in Oregon and Washington. Be safe out there.

here is another helpfull web site:
Fire Wise


CM

[Straydog]

Great post CorkieMonster!

I would only add that, at least in Josephine Co., the Oregon Department of Forestry will come out and do an assesment of your property and tell you if you have provided adequate defensable space as well as access for firefighters.

I did it and it took only about 30 minutes and gave me piece of mind when the man gave me the "green slip" documenting I had "passed" the inspection.

It is worth a little piece of mind and could save your home if not you and your families' and pet's lives......

[Jennie@ifish]

Very helpful, Corkie Monster. I will print both of those out, for Bill and I to review with the kids.

Thank you!
Jen

[Firedog]

Great Post Corkie Monster, a lot of good information there. here are a few more links discussing Defensible Space.

http://www.nifc.gov/preved/protecthome.html

http://www.tahoefire.com/Defensible%20Space.htm

http://www.nps.gov/goga/fire/defspace.htm

[wthr4d]

Great Posts!!!!

Thsnks to corkie monster and Fire dog for stepping forward and offering up preventative measures. I know in my many years of firefighting both urban and wildland the toughest place to work was the "urban interface". so many good homes, left behind and lost just because of little things that could have been easily changed by the owners, had they known. Pay attention to what the sites say and have your home area inspected by the local fire service, your homes are for living IN not burning down.

Paul

[24 on/ 48 off]

Jen? Any update? Did you find out what was going on?

--spud--

[D$_KFalls]

This year's fire season must be pretty good ... years ago (about 8) I was working with ODF on the Klamath-Lake District. We had "shadow" engines from the Tillamook and Astoria district ... extra resources due to extreme fire conditions. I still listen to the scanner, and I understand that we have some more "shadow" engines from that area this summer.

All I remember was that there were some great crews that did a good job on the fireline. They took back some impressive videos of some Klamath basin fires, too.

Hats off to those protecting our forests. If you live in the "woods", please pay particular attention to the defensible space links above. I hope it never happens, but you will be glad you did if a wildfire ever hits close to home.

D$