Get Wildfire Ready for Fall!
Our Wildfire Resilience team has had a busy summer performing Home Ignition Zone risk assessments, educating communities about their wildfire risks, and working to increase preparedness and resilience within those communities. As we transition into fall projects like fuels reduction using our biochar flame-cap kiln, we want to provide some resources homeowners can also use to strengthen their properties against wildfire.
As cooler and wetter weather approaches, it’s easy to let wildfire preparedness slip down our “To-Do” lists. However, fall is an ideal time to address vulnerabilities around your home and take steps to reduce the risk of wildfire ignition.
Here are a few actions you can take this fall:
· Install 1/8 inch steel mesh screening on all vents around the house.
· Create 5 feet of non-combustible zone immediately surrounding the home and deck(s).
· Fill in any nooks and crannies around your house with caulking and foam.
· Prune shrubs and trees in your yard to create horizontal and vertical space between the vegetation and reduce ladder fuels.
· Talk to your neighbors and create a plan for how to address your wildfire safety challenges together.
Want to know what more you can do? Our free and customized on-site assessment will provide you with helpful resources and a report that defines which actions to take to improve your properties resilience to wildfires.
To learn more about wildfire preparedness or to schedule a site visit, contact Robert Walters at rwalters@whatcomcd.org or Alexis Bryson at abryson@whatcomcd.org
