La Pine, other cities get grants to cut wildfire risk

Seven Oregon communities have received small grants to hold wildfire prevention projects on Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on Saturday, May 5.

The seven -Grants Pass, La Pine, Lostine, Ukiah, Umpqua and two neighborhoods in Corvallis – will join 144 other communities nationwide that will work to reduce their wildfire risk on the same day.

The National Fire Protection Association’s Community Wildfire Preparedness Day gives people of all ages a chance to plan and participate in a risk reduction or a wildfire preparedness activity that makes their community safer. This is the program’s fifth year.

The following Oregon communities successfully competed nationwide for the $500 cash awards and will be hosting a number of activities to promote wildfire awareness and safety.

Corvallis (2) Grants Pass La Pine Lostine Ukiah Umpqua

“Last summer, over 7,500 people were evacuated from their homes and nearly 20,000 structures were threatened by wildfire,” said Kristin Babbs, president of the non-profit fire prevention organization Keep Oregon Green.

“Because Oregon’s landscapes and communities are so diverse, wildfire prevention solutions are not one-size-fits-all across the state. It is important for folks to engage with their local fire agencies and work together at the local level to create strong relationships and resilient communities that can withstand the damaging effects of wildfires.”

Communities that survive fire events are the ones that are prepared and have a plan, according to National Fire Plan Coordinator Jenna Nelson with the Oregon Department of Forestry. “Working with your neighbors and creating defensible space around homes can make a huge difference in protecting your home from fire,” Nelson said.

“Reducing losses from wildfires is a shared responsibility among emergency managers, response agencies and local community members,” said Fire Prevention Coordinator Tom Fields with the Oregon Department of Forestry. Through educational, individual and group activities, residents can learn more about the importance of wildfire preparedness and planning, and the power of prevention.”

Projects for Wildfire Preparedness Day can range from a few hours up to an entire day. Below are some examples of things you can do to reduce the risk of home and property becoming fuel for a wildfire:

— Remove debris and dry leaves 3 to 5 feet from a home’s foundation, and up to 30 feet as time permits.

— Keep your roof and gutters free of downed tree limbs, broken branches and leaves.

— Distribute wildfire safety information, like the free Firewise Toolkit, to neighbors or staff a table at a grocery or hardware store and distribute free Firewise and emergency preparedness materials that can be ordered from the Firewise catalog or from READY.gov.

— Join forces with neighbors and pool your resources to pay for a chipper service to remove slash.

— Help an elderly relative or neighbor enter emergency numbers and the names of close relatives into their cell phones; and in large font post their phone number and street address above their landline so it can easily be seen when providing information to an emergency dispatcher.

Find additional project ideas and learn more about the national Wildfire Community Preparedness Day event on May 5 by visiting www.wildfireprepday.org.