A Burning Question Is Your Home Properly Prepared For A Wildfire? Probably Not, Experts Say.

The summer of 1910 started with an early drought and ended with what has been called “two weeks of hell on Earth.”

Hundreds of Idaho forest fires, thought contained, suddenly took off on Aug. 20, fanned by strong winds from the southwest. By the time rain extinguished the flames on Aug. 31, 3 million acres - enough timber to build 50,000 homes - were torched. The blaze straddled the Idaho-Montana border from Canada to the Salmon River, cutting a swath more than 50 miles wide in places.

The inferno claimed untold wildlife and at least 85 people, including 78 firefighters. Smoke stretched from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

It will happen again. And next time, considerably more lives and property will be at risk.

“The chance for a 1910-caliber catastrophic fire is higher today than it’s been since the area was settled,” says Chris Schnepf, University of Idaho cooperative-extension educator.

Fire-resistant white pines have been harvested, replaced by more susceptible species, such as Douglas fir and grand fir. Beetles and disease have weakened mature trees. Fire-suppression policies have contributed to a buildup of fuel - pine needles and brush. Now global warming threatens to affect forests’ species composition.

“Historically, fires have occurred here more frequently than tornadoes do in the Midwest,” says Schnepf.

“We haven’t had a big stand-replacing fire for quite some time. But I believe we will.

“It’s only a matter of time before all the conditions (for a major fire) come together again,” predicts Schnepf. “Driving through the woods, I would say half to three-fourths of the homes in North Idaho are at significant risk.”

Part of the cooperative-extension agent’s job is to alert area residents to the fire danger inherent in forested areas and suggest ways they can reduce the chance of losing their homes and loved ones to flames.

Almost all area fire districts offer free inspections of home sites and advice about ways to make residences safer and firefighters’ jobs easier.

For instance, Michael Denney, Kootenai County fire warden for the Idaho Department of Lands, starts by recommending people install a 30-foot-wide firebreak around their homes.

“I tell people to put themselves in our shoes,” says Denney. “Stand against your house and pretend you’re holding a hose, and there’s a fire coming at you.

“Do you feel comfortable? If the answer’s no, then go back to work making that space even wider. Because that’s exactly what you’re asking us to do - to get wedged between your home and an oncoming fire.”

Try to anticipate how flames might jump the firebreak, such as along wooden fences that extend from woodlands to a building. “We call them wicks,” says Denney, “because that’s exactly how they act during a fire.”

Denney also suggests people prune the bottom 6 to 10 feet of trees. “If we can keep a fire on the ground, we can fight it,” he says. “Once it gets up in the trees, it’s much more difficult to control.”

For the same reason, he recommends thinning trees to create at least 10 feet of space between crowns.

Vegetation isn’t the only issue. Storing lawn-mower gasoline under a deck is a bad idea, as is stacking firewood next to siding.

“One of the worst-case scenarios I’ve seen,” says Schnepf, “is a pine tree coming up through a wooden deck, with needles falling onto a shake roof. If you live in a forest setting, that’s just asking for fire problems.”

Despite the offer of free inspections and pamphlets, Denney says concern among rural residents about fire danger remains low. “We’d like to do more inspections, but people aren’t calling.”

Schnepf concurs.

“I was surprised how quickly interest dropped after the 1991 firestorm,” he says. “It’s hard to get people to turn out for our three-hour program about landscaping for fire prevention.”

Part of the problem, says Schnepf, is the public’s attitude toward nature.

“People have this kind of Mozart view of nature as a calm, tranquil presence.” he says. “That may be accurate if you’re on the coast in a grove of 1,000-year-old cedars. But forest ecology here is more like Stravinsky - much more explosive; lots of fire.”

As more people move into the woods, fire suppression and other behaviors will continue to increase the danger of conflagration.

“It’s not a matter of if fire will come through, but when,” says Schnepf.

Fortunately, preventive steps don’t include complete removal of the very trees that attract people to wooded acreage in the first place.

“You don’t have to have an antiseptic, paved landscape around your home,” Schnepf insists. “Just think about what kind of fuel a fire needs, and whether there’s a path of fuel from the woods to your home. If there is, what are some ways you can break that up?

“By managing your species through thinning and pruning, you’re mimicking the effects of helpful ground fires.”

“I’ve been all around the country talking about fire protection,” says Denney, “and I’ve looked at large fires that have rolled through areas. Some homes survived and some didn’t. In every case, the homes that survived had some of these practices in place.”

This sidebar appeared with the story: FIRE RISK CHECKLIST

LANDSCAPING Create a 30-foot-wide noncombustible firebreak around the house. Keep land and plant material well-watered and trimmed. Prune trees 6 to 15 feet up from the ground. Trim branches away from chimneys and utility lines. Store firewood and other flammables away from structures. Clean debris from roof and yard frequently.

ROADS AND SIGNS Keep home accessible to fire equipment. Mark property with nonflammable, easily seen address sign. Have an emergency escape route.

BUILDING MATERIALS Use nonflammable building materials, especially on roof and decks. Install screens on chimney. Be able to close off basement and attic openings.

EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY Water supply should be clearly marked and accessible. If source is a well, have emergency backup generator.

OTHER PRECAUTIONS Maintain smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Clean chimney and/or stovepipe routinely. Keep firefighting tools and emergency supplies handy. Have an escape plan.

IF WILDFIRE THREATENS Wear protective clothing. Close house and disconnect electric garage-door opener. Cover attic and basement vents to keep fire out. Fill all available containers with water. Lean ladder against roof opposite the approaching fire and put sprinkler on roof. Prepare emergency generator to run well pump. Shut off natural-gas supply. Turn on all indoor and outdoor lights to make house easier for firefighters to find in dark. Remove flammable window treatments.

IF CAUGHT IN FIRE Crawl low. Touch door before opening. If door is hot, use another escape route. Jam towel or rug against door base to prevent smoke from entering room. If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop and roll.

Source: University of Idaho Cooperative Extension