Char-Koosta News

Firewise Landscaping Checklist

When designing and installing a firewise landscape, consider the following:
   • Local area fire history.
   • Site location and overall terrain.
   • Prevailing winds and seasonal weather.
   • Property contours and boundaries.
   • Native vegetation.
   • Plant characteristics and placement (duffage, water and salt retention ability, aromatic oils, fuel load per area, and size).
   • Irrigation requirements.

To create a firewise landscape, remember that the primary goal is fuel reduction. To this end, initiate the zone concept. Zone 1 is closest to the structure; Zones 2-4 move progressively further away.

Zone 1: This well-irrigated area encircles the structure for at least 30 feet on all sides, providing space for fire suppression equipment in the event of an emergency. Plantings should be limited to carefully spaced low flammability species.

Zone 2: Low flammability plant materials should be used here. Plants should be low growing, and the irrigation system should extend into this section.

Zone 3: Place low-growing plants and well-spaced trees in this area, remembering to keep the volume of vegetation (fuel) low.

Zone 4: This furthest zone from the structure is a natural area. Selectively prune and thin all plants and remove highly flammable vegetation.

Also remember to:
   • Be sure to leave a minimum of 30’ around the house to accommodate fire equipment, if necessary.
   • Widely space and carefully situate the trees you plant.
   • Take out the “ladder fuels” - vegetation that serves as a link between grass and treetops. This arrangement can carry fire to a structure or from a structure to vegetation.
   • Give your self added protection with “fuel breaks” like driveways, gravel walkways, and lawns.

When maintaining a landscape:
   • Keep trees and shrubs properly pruned. Prune all trees so the lowest limbs are 6’ to 10’ from the ground.
   • Remove leaf clutter and dead and overhanging branches.
   • Mow the lawn regularly.
   • Dispose of cuttings and debris promptly, according to local regulations.
   • Store firewood away from the house.
   • Be sure the irrigation system is well maintained.
   • Use care when refueling garden equipment and maintain it regularly.
   • Store and use flammable liquids properly.
   • Dispose of smoking materials carefully.
   • Become familiar with local regulations regarding vegetation clearances, disposal of debris, and fire safety requirements for equipment.
   • Follow manufacturers’ instructions when using fertilizers and pesticides.

Access additional information on the Firewise home page: www.firewise.org

RONAN — Public education is perhaps the most important - and economical - firefighting tool that wildland fire managers have in their rucksacks. Once a wild fire starts the monetary ticker starts and it routinely costs millions of dollars to extinguish them. People can be held accountable for any fire they start that gets uncontrollable and requires fire fighters to put it out. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to fire and it is a whole lot cheaper.

Curtis Matt, CSKT Division of Fire Management education and information officer, said DOF promotes fire safety and prevention all year round at public events and schools when in session.

“We’ve been hitting all the public functions, town celebrations, powwows, schools, those kinds of things to make people aware of fire prevention and Firewise,” Matt said. Firewise is a national fire education program that fire managers use to promote fire prevention especially in the wildland-urban interface. “We have had a lot of success with Firewise so far. People understand that fire is a reality. It may or may not hit them but most realize that it is better to be prepared for fire than not.”

And people should be prepared or better get prepared because the fire season is fast on the area. This year there have numerous huge fires in California, and last week parts of Spokane were consumed by a wildfire and nearly 400 acres of grasses burned on Mount Sentinel in Missoula.

There have been 46 fires reported on the Flathead Indian Reservation so far this year and so far Mother Nature has been a wallflower, according to DOF education and information officer Devlin Lafrombois. “Forty-five of them have been man-caused,” he said.

The people-caused fires have been burn piles getting out of hand as well as campfires and party fires being left unattended. Despite the wet spring and high winter snow-pack the fire danger is high. “It is ‘Very High’ now on the west side of the reservation and it is ‘High’ on the east side,” Lafrombois said.

“We haven’t had any rain in awhile and there is little moisture in the ground. According to weather predictions there isn’t any rain in the forecast for the next week,” Matt said. “The grasses that were greened up big time with the wet spring are now cured or curing and ready for fire.”

The DOF has fire fighters patrolling the reservation and keeping an eye open for people burning illegally, for party fires and unattended or left-for-dead campfires.

Helping your local fire department

Modification of a house’s landscape to incorporate the most fire-resistant materials and design into a house’s construction, there is no guarantee that a wildfire will not threaten the house. It is important that the local fire department be able to find and defend a house.

Suggestions on how to modify property to accommodate the local fire department responders.

• Street signs and numbers:
If made from combustible materials, street signs and numbers can ignite or melt, leaving the fire department with no ability to locate a house. It is critical that signs and numbers be noncombustible and visible from the road.

• Driveways:
Fire trucks and equipment are quite large and often have difficulty in tight spots. Consequently, a house’s driveway must be large enough to accommodate the typical sized trucks. Fire experts recommend a driveway at least 12 feet wide with 13 feet of vertical clearance.

• Gates:
If a home is gated, it is very important that the gate opens inward and be wide enough to accommodate the fire fighting equipment. Experts also recommend that the gate be at least 30 feet off of the main road, so that the equipment can pull off the road to open the gate. If the gate is locked, the lock should not be so strong that firefighters cannot break it in an emergency.

“Open burning is closed down for the season and no burning permits are being issued,” Lafrombois said. “We aren’t under any restrictions but if it stays hot and dry for the next week or two we will probably be looking at putting some restrictions in place.”

“In the Jocko area things have really changed fast with the recent dry weather,” Matt said. “The weather has set the table for a major fire season.”

The DOF has been working with Kicking Horse Job Corps to produce fire rings for campgrounds and picnic areas on the reservation. “We’ve ordered 30 so far and we will be putting them out there,” Matt said. “Hopefully that will help eliminate some of the man-caused fires at camp and picnic sites.”

“We’ve been having a heck of a problem with fireworks and it is ongoing,” Matt said, adding that another problem fire managers have with party fires and some campfires is the litter that is left behind. “It just looks terrible. I urge all people to pick up their garbage. With the price of gasoline being way up there, people will be staying closer to home for recreation. That increases the potential for fire and litter.”

“People should be careful with fire, especially campfires,” Lafrombois said. “They need to make sure they put them out when they leave the area.”

For more information on fire or to report a fire, call CSKT Division of Fire Management at 676-2550.

The Official Publication of the Flathead Nation online

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Fire season is here and it is time to be prepared and be careful