Firescaping/defensible space and arboriculture

evo

evo

Been here much more than a while
Location
My Island, WA
With the current trend this is on my mind more and more. I live and work in the wildland urban/rural interface, and in my unique community a fire could become out of control very quickly.
Curious to start a conversation, and hear from those with either experience in fire prone locations or looking for the same.
 
North of the 49th parallel there's:
https://www.firesmartcanada.ca
As a comment, a neighbour just flew back home to YYC last Friday from Houston and his flight was diverted west over the mountains due to weather on the east side - his comment was that on the ay north, it looked like the entire west side of N America was on fire - there were smoke plumes all the way north along the rockies up into BC and Alberta. We've had to breath acrid smoke all the last week in up to +36 deg C heat.
Cut your acreage understory/ brush/ deadwood, clear out the roof/ eves and get the foundation perimeters cleaned out of combustibles as a start. Lots more info in these two programs.
 
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I've done firewise-funded work in Nv, around Lake Tahoe/ Reno, back in the day with Nevada Conservation Corps. Cost-sharing with homeowners.

Lean, Clean, and Green buffers around structures.

Lots of "ladder fuel" removal, canopy raise entire area to about 6', so a ground fire can't climb into canopies.

Avoid resiny foliage near structures.

Creating spacing between fuels.

that kinda thing.

Low tech, mostly.


Nearby me https://q13fox.com/2013/05/05/60-acre-wildfire-burning-in-capitol-forest/
Smoke in the air. Orange sun.
 
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southsoundtree said:
I've done firewise-funded work in Nv, around Lake Tahoe/ Reno, back in the day with Nevada Conservation Corps. Cost-sharing with homeowners.

Lean, Clean, and Green buffers around structures.

Lots of "ladder fuel" removal, canopy raise entire area to about 6', so a ground fire can't climb into canopies.

Avoid resiny foliage near structures.

Creating spacing between fuels.

that kinda thing.

Low tech, mostly.


Nearby me https://q13fox.com/2013/05/05/60-acre-wildfire-burning-in-capitol-forest/
Smoke in the air. Orange sun.
Click to expand...
Yeah we are and have been in the path of the maple fire.
We are a tender box, and while we are populated enough there would be a significant response it would still take time. The perfect storm condition aren’t here yet but they are brewing. Our local FD wouldn’t be able to handle more than a half acre brush fire. Looking at the 2000 map of fire prone areas we didn’t make the list. However we are surrounded and certainly in the rain shadow/convergence zone micro climates.
 
southsoundtree said:
I've done firewise-funded work in Nv, around Lake Tahoe/ Reno, back in the day with Nevada Conservation Corps. Cost-sharing with homeowners.

Lean, Clean, and Green buffers around structures.

Lots of "ladder fuel" removal, canopy raise entire area to about 6', so a ground fire can't climb into canopies.

Avoid resiny foliage near structures.

Creating spacing between fuels.

that kinda thing.

Low tech, mostly.


Nearby me https://q13fox.com/2013/05/05/60-acre-wildfire-burning-in-capitol-forest/
Smoke in the air. Orange sun.
Click to expand...
Is this still burning? It’s nit showing up on he gov fire site?! I’m needing to collect BLM samples and that forest was on my list.. crap.

On a side note do you have a BLM? I need a few leaves, seed, 3” x 1” wood cookie, and a increment core
 
I'm currently in California working on cleaning up in areas that the Mendocino Complex Fire burned. When these fires move into an area, almost everything burns. This is the third fire I've worked, but this is the first time that I'm seriously considering cutting every conifer near my home. Every day I'm working near or at the sites where people lost absolutely everything. It really makes you reconsider how close you allow vegetation to your home and outbuildings.
 
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RyanCafferky said:
I'm currently in California working on cleaning up in areas that the Mendocino Complex Fire burned. When these fires move into an area, almost everything burns. This is the third fire I've worked, but this is the first time that I'm seriously considering cutting every conifer near my home. Every day I'm working near or at the sites where people lost absolutely everything. It really makes you reconsider how close you allow vegetation to your home and outbuildings.
Click to expand...
And this is just the beginning. Like a rising tide it’s coming in waves but steadily rising. The time for foolishness is long past.
 
I've got a BLM at my house. Its going to be coming down this fall, probably. Fire damage from 15 years ago.

No increment corer on hand. Might be able to borrow one.
 
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Up here in the Northeast, or fires burn much more slowly, but something to note is that our for departments will NOT defend a home if there is only one way in and out (think back country structures) it's too easy for them to be cutoff from escape. Also they recommend defensible space of 50-100 feet from structures
 
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