Commissioner Adair reflects on Flat Fire and what the county can learn
(Added Video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Fires can be incredibly dangerous and it doesn’t discriminate. Everyone in a fire zone is impacted. When the Flat Fire came rolling through it impacted thousands of people and forced many to be evacuated
KTVZ spoke with Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair about her experience as the fire raced through town.
"Immediately I got a warning from the system. I believe I went into level two at that time, and I also get a phone call from somebody," Adair said. "I've been through a lot of fires coming in from Southern California. I always pay attention to the weather, so I started packing up, those important things your passport, your documents, all those things, your insurance documents, everything you could possibly think of."
After a major fire like this several people begin the process of determining what went well and what didn’t. KTVZ asked Commissioner Adair what the County and residents can learn and this is what she had to say.
Adair told KTVZ "You've got to be prepared. You really don't want to have any burnable things. Please, people don't use mulch. Make sure the screening on your houses is really teeny and clean. Keep everything cleaned up. That's why we have fire free in the spring and we have, a tremendous program for fire wise communities in Deschutes County."
Both Counselor Adair and fire officials have told KTVZ, residents need to prune their trees, especially juniper trees. As well as take extra precautions to protect any exposed wood.
