Saturday, October 25, 2008
Protect your home from wildfires
Libba Wolfe
Libba Wolfe's column appears twice monthly in Extra.
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I hate to be a party pooper but there is a downside to this gorgeous fall weather. The low humidity -- so welcome after a hot, muggy summer -- is a strong sign that fire season has arrived.
Of course, wildfires can roar through any time of the year, but the risk is high Oct. 15 through Nov. 30 and again Feb. 15 through April 30. That's when conditions are perfect for a catastrophic fire. The woods are full of dry fuel -- fallen leaves and dead branches, weeds and undergrowth from the last growing season. These are usually periods of low precipitation and very low humidity.
It's a threat that seems more of a West Coast issue, so I was surprised to read the Virginia figures. So far in 2008, there have been 1,247 wildfires and 15 homes destroyed or damaged across the state.
On Feb. 10, when the Roanoke Valley was blanketed in smoke from the 4,700 acre Green Ridge Mountain fire, there were 363 other fires burning in the state.
Only about 3 percent of wildfires are started by lightning . The responsibility for the rest falls to man. Arson, careless smokers, railroad sparks, campfires and dumping hot fireplace or grill ashes can all send the forest up in flames. The largest percentage is caused by out-of-control debris burning.
This year, 970 Virginia homes and outbuildings have been protected from destruction by firefighters. As residential and recreational developments spread into forested areas, more lives and homes are threatened by fire.
Picture this: a shady neighborhood adjoining a national forest. All the houses sit on heavily wooded lots, with huge evergreen shrubs surrounding the foundations. Or this: huge trees overhanging the deck of an isolated get-away cabin, reached by a narrow, rutted track.
Both sound idyllic, and they are. But the very traits that make them desirable also put them in danger's way should a wildfire blow through.
Dave Close, the State Master Gardener Coordinator at Virginia Tech, works with the Virginia Department of Forestry to educate the public on how to protect their homes and property from wildfire destruction. Fires leap and grow when there is fuel to feed them. Homeowners should create landscapes that break the chain of fuel between their homes and the natural vegetation that surrounds their property.
Close says a few steps and a day or so of annual maintenance will improve your home's chances of survival should disaster strike.
A few tips:
n Keep your gutters cleaned. One flying ember can ignite a gutter full of dry leaves.
n Rake leaves away from structures and LP gas tanks. Far away. Cut back dead annuals and weeds.
n Create a defensible space around homes and outbuildings.
Go to www.ext.vt.edu/ (search the site using the keyword "firewise") for details on firewise landscaping. Recommendations include surrounding all structures with a five foot-wide strip of ground that contains no burnables such as trees, shrubs, tall grass, woodpiles, bark mulch or brush. The Web site includes information on landscaping material and design, planting and pruning tips for areas within 100 feet of your house.
n There's no such thing as a fireproof tree or shrub. There are, however, some that are quicker to catch fire. Evergreens with high leaf oil or resin content are more highly combustible. Check out the lists at the Web site mentioned above to find trees, shrubs, vines and ground covers that may be better choices in high-risk locations.
n There is a statewide law that prohibits brush burning before 4 p.m. Some areas require a special permit. Know the laws in your area.
n Better yet, don't burn -- compost. Sure, there is a special pleasure in poking at a fire on a crisp fall afternoon, but did you realize you can be held responsible for all the firefighting expenses if your fire gets out of control? Even if you follow the laws and take every precaution. Composting is safer, smarter and cheaper. Save the fire poking for the fireplace.
n Remember that cabin with the hidden narrow entrance? If your driveway isn't clearly marked or if it has too many low-hanging branches, it will be very difficult for a fire truck to make it to your home. Don't make the firefighters' job harder.
Dave Close sums up the firewise plan with two main points: simple maintenance to remove dead, dry fuel and composting it instead of burning it.
That makes sense no matter where you live. And while you have fire on your mind, you might as well go check your smoke alarm batteries.
TO DO: Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Garden Walk with Dr. Eric Wiseman at Utility Line Arboretum at the Han Horticulture Garden on the Virginia Tech campus. Free. You'll learn about the smaller trees best planted under utility lines.
