Looking for information on fire proofing around a home.

[RandyMac]

Where is that vid of you two hackin' at the little tree?

 

[Gologit]

Hacking? Hacking??!! I'll have you know that there was almost 100 years of combined timber falling experience on display in that video. Doesn't it show?































Never mind, don't answer that.

 

[RandyMac]

I can read fine print

 

[Kfd518]

I know it was said jokingly but…
yarnell hill fire…

http://phoenix.about.com/od/natureandenvironment/tp/current-arizona-wildfires.htm

 

[RandyMac]

How about that King Fire? Looks like it made some impressive runs.

 

[BeatCJ]

John,
Did you find someone to come out and give you an assessment? If you haven't yet, let me know and I will find contact information for your area and get it to you. Firewise was federally funded, and that money dried up, the Washington DNR budget is pretty tight, and many of the smarter ways to spend money seem to get cut first. Even so, if there is an individual (or better yet, a group) that is interested enough to seek them out, DNR will give you recommendations. Right now is obviously the best time to get started with risk reduction projects, by September it's too late. And no, you don't need a moonscape. I have seen several good suggestions, ladder fuels, water storage, fuel breaks, sprinkler systems. Another important factor is access. Enough width for two trucks to pass each other, and limbed up high enough that we don't wipe the antennas and light bars off of our engines, and a solid enough surface for 50,000 lb trucks.
I would offer to come out myself, but Cle Elum is too far for just a day trip. I have slept at the Teanaway Grange a couple of times, though.

 

[John from Cle Elum]

CJ
Thanks for the reply. Its been a while since I was on the website so I missed your reply. I did get a lot of good information from the replys. I agree Cle Elum is way too for a day's drive. I was trying to find one of the scheduled Firewise classes. My neighbor kind of recommended the class but I was not able to find one being offered. Sounds like they may not be offered anymore. The place is about 10 miles west of Cle Elum and it tends to have a lot more brush than further east. I worked it pretty hard last spring but it got awful dry toward the end of June and I shut off the saws. Its a lot of effort and I want to get the best result for the time spent.

Do you know of someone I can contact in the DNR in the Cle Elum area? There are a couple of landowners in the immediate area who would also be interested in some recommendations. I suspect after fires nearby last summer it would be pretty easy to fill a meeting room if another class were offered.

Thanks again
John

 

[slowp]

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/FirePreventionAssistance/Pages/Home.aspx

 

[BeatCJ]

John,
I will make a couple of phone calls to the people I know in Pacific Cascade Region DNR, and try to get you a name an phone number.

 

[madhatte]

OP: I have sent you a few contacts by PM. Best of luck!

 

[wadeclinton]

To the OP,

All the advise you have been givin is good. This here is right on the money. You should do some plot measurements and determine how many tons of material per acre your land has(Browns Transect Method is commonly used), and what your current Basal Area of your stand is as well. Then armed with that info call up the Silviculturalist and Fuels Mgmt. FMO at the nearest Forest Service District or DNR office. Ask them to compare your density to what they would recommend as fire healthy. From there you can get an idea of how much material needs to be removed. The district I work on in CA is very helpful we offer lots of advice and insight to local landowners, I would imagine the WA folks would be similarly helpful.

There is a ton of information for that. Go to the nearest DNR or Forest Service office. The latter is in Cle Elum. The library should have tons of information as does the internet.

Prune, rake or burn or chip, and thin and mow. Find out what the optimum spacing or basal area per acre is for your site. That would take local expertise. That's about it. You won't stop a fire from going through, but you might keep the flame lengths low and cool enough so it doesn't fry stuff. Composting is still an option. And yes, it can be a lot of work and it has to be maintained.