Oregon wildfire season is coming. This may be the last thing you want to think about on the first sunny days we’ve had in months. But property owners and renters are urged to put fire prevention at the top of their minds.
Spring is a good time to get a head start on preparing for potential fires, said Alison Green, a spokesperson for the Oregon State Fire Marshall’s Office.
The best way to do that is, she added, is to “defensible space” around your place.
Creating a defensible space around your home, like trimming low hanging tree limbs that could catch fire from lower brush, will create a safety buffer on your property.
Alison Green / Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office
“Not to disappoint anybody, it has nothing to do with football,” she said. “We’re talking about defensible space. It is really a good buffer and that good zone that people can build on their property, kind of immediately around their home that is going to lesson fire impacts or completely stop a fire.”
Green, who has been a wildland firefighter, said fireproofing your property includes trimming bushes away from tree limbs, clearing gutters, and scraping bark dust away from wood decks and homes.
What happens if a house a couple doors down from you catches fire? Green answered that building defensible spaces around neighborhood homes will keep that fire from spreading and give firefighters a place to work from safely.
Burning embers are the leading cause of home loss during a fire. As part of fire prevention preparedness, Green advised limiting the items that flying embers could latch onto and ignite, like outdoor furniture next to the house.
Green said doing this defensive space work in steps, maybe one day each weekend, can help prevent fire prevention burn out.
Oregon Defensible Space for homeowners and renters guide provides recommendations and checklists from Oregon State Fire Marshall’s Office.