Five Mile Residents Hear Fire Safety Tips Firesafe Director Offers Wildfire Deterents

Have you had a fire drill in the last five years?

When Ross Hesseltine posed that question to members of the Five Mile Prairie Neighborhood Association last week, few could answer that they had.

Hesseltine is the executive director of FireSafe Spokane, an organization dedicated to wildfire prevention education. He came to the Five Mile meeting to explain what homeowners can do to create a safe area to help protect their homes.

“In October of ‘91, windstorms and firestorms created 92 fires that destroyed 112 houses,” he said. “The fire service was overwhelmed. There was not enough manpower or equipment.”

So now, FireSafe Spokane works to empower people to create a safe place. Hesseltine suggests 10 steps - which can be done in a weekend - that can help reduce the risk of damage by wildfire.

Recognize the hazard, especially if you live in or adjacent to forestland.

Define your defensible space. Create a 30-foot buffer around your house by clearing out flammable materials. FireSafe Spokane and local fire departments provide free inspections to help people determine their needs. Contact FireSafe Spokane at 464-1086.

Reduce flammables by removing dry grass, brush, dead leaves and pine needles. Replace highly flammable plants with fire resistive, high moisture content varieties.

Prune or remove overcrowded or weakened trees and low-hanging branches.

Relocate wood piles to an area at least 30 feet away from your home. Keep flammable vegetation 10 feet away from woodpiles.

Clean pine needles, leaves and debris from your roof, gutters, decks and yard. Always clean up after storms.

Make sure firefighters can find you. Use easy-to-read address signs. Driveways should be trimmed of vegetation so emergency vehicles can reach you.

If your roof is wood shake, consider treating or replacing it with a fire-resistant material. The roof is the most vulnerable part of the house in a wildfire.

Use alternate disposal methods like composting or recycling to get rid of yard debris.

Be prepared with smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Keep garden tools easily accessible. Make sure everyone in your home knows where the equipment is and how to call for help in an emergency.

In other Prairie news, Jim Smith of the city engineering department spoke about proposed road improvements for Five Mile Road. No money is yet available, however.

Updates on Five Mile projects Stratton Manor, Crestview Estates, Falcon Ridge, Willow Run and Jesse’s Bluff were discussed, and members of the park committee said construction of the Five Mile park could be underway by this time next year.