|
Create
defensible space against fires
Preparation can
help protect your home from wildfires
Last year’s severe fire season reminded us how vulnerable
those of us who live in Northwest Montana are to wildfires.
Wildfires can spread quickly, igniting brush, trees and
homes. You can reduce your risk by preparing now, before wildfire strikes.
Decide what to do and where to go if wildfires threaten.
You can also take steps to make your home more fire
resistant.
“Creating defensible space and using firewise landscaping
techniques is an easy and cost-effective way to protect your home,” said
Jeremy Pris, Prevention Specialist with the Montana Department of Natural
Resources and Conservation.
By creating a defensible space, you can help prevent fires
from starting on your property and establish a protective buffer to keep
fire from spreading to your home.
Pris lists a few easy steps to make your home less
vulnerable:
• Thin the trees around your home so there is 15 feet between
crowns.
• Eliminate ladder fuels such as brush and small trees to
keep fire from climbing into tree tops. Dispose of slash and other fuels
around your home.
• Create at least a 30-foot safety zone around your home by
watering and mowing your lawn and landscaping with fire-resistant plants.
• Clean debris from your roof and gutters.
• Display your name and house number in front of your
property to make it easier for emergency crews to find your home.
Wildfires are a fact of life in Montana, but taking action
before they strike can help protect your home and property.
For more information, call your local fire agency or the
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
Assemble
disaster kit in advance of threat
When wildfire threatens, you
won’t have time to shop or search for supplies, so advance planning is
important to protect your family. Assemble a disaster supply kit with items
you may need if you are advised to evacuate your home. Store these supplies
in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers.
Here are some kit suggestions:
• A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day)
and food that won’t spoil.
• One change of clothing and footwear per person and one
blanket or sleeping bag per person.
• A first-aid that includes your family’s prescription
medicines.
• A battery-powered radio, flashlight and plenty of extra
batteries.
• An extra set of car keys and a credit card, cash or
traveler’s checks.
Keep important family documents in a waterproof container.
Assemble a smaller version of your kit to keep in the trunk of your car.
|
2004 July
Roundup For Safety
Report
Applications Received
& Approved:
Montana
Veterans Home
Lighting $3,600.00
Deer Park School
Asbestos abatement and
lighting $4,150.00
Rails to Trails
Bike Path $10,000.00
Bigfork Schools
Security system $3,117.00
Big Brothers/Sisters
Materials and training $3,475.00
Sinopah House
Fencing $3,818.00
3 Applications Pending
2 Applications Denied
Roundup For Safety is a voluntary program for FEC members.
Participating members allow their electric bill to be rounded up to the
next dollar, with the extra money going into a fund for community safety
projects.
Applications from non-profit groups are considered each month by a
board of directors representing each Co-op district.
For information and application forms, call 751-4483 in Kalispell and
293-7122 in Libby.
|
