Firewise Archives

Prevent Fires / It's Your Job

Recreational fires at Martha's Beach: Allowed only when there is no burn ban

Must be built only in the fire pit provided
Must be attended at all times
must be extinguished before you leave

Protect your beach and your community

It's the law: WAC 173-425; RCW 70.94; NWCAA Regulation 502

Get ready for spring!!!!

As spring finally approaches many of us are eagerly waiting to get into the garden. This is the perfect time to not only clean our yards in anticipation of the fabulous colors and scents that will soon burst forth but also to assure that our homes will survive a wildfire. Unlike those folks living in cities, our beautifully treed greenbelt areas present us with some different challenges should we have any type of fire in our community. Here are some steps you can take to help protect your home:

Develop a 30-100 foot fire-safety zone (defensible space) around the house. Homes built in pine forests should have a minimum safety zone of 30 feet. Realizing that this is not always possible here…even a 10 foot defensible space is better than none at all. This area helps to reduce the potential exposure to flames and radiant heat and also provides a defensible space for firefighters to protect your house.
Make your address visible from the street.
Choose fire-resistant building materials for the roof and siding. The roof if the most vulnerable part of the house. Most homes with a wood shake room will not survive a firestorm.
Enclose the underside of your deck and structures. This will prevent debris from collecting in the area and prevent a fire from moving under the deck.
Regularly clean roofs and gutters. Remove moss, dead leaves and pine needles.
Rake up leaves, dead limbs and pine needles and properly dispose of them.
Clean and thin underbrush areas. Trim tree branches up to six (6) feet high.
Make certain water hoses are equipped with spray nozzles and are in working order.
Don’t have firewood stacked alongside buildings (house) or under decks.
Store Gasoline and other flammable liquids in approved safety cans.

These are a few suggestions of how you can better safeguard your home, possessions and loved ones. For more information go to www.firewise.org.

The Firewise Program

It’s hard to think about wildland fires after our cold and drippy spring. All the foliage is wet, lush and green and the fire danger is low. Why worry?

It takes only a few weeks of hot weather to dry out the woods. Thick undergrowth from spring rains becomes a heavy fuel load. Wildland-urban interface fires become possible and very dangerous. The thick woods and brush of the Swinomish Reservation border Shelter Bay and the trees surrounding many Shelter Bay houses are an extension of these wildlands.

Local fire departments are staffed and equipped assuming that fires will occur one at a time. Local resources, including aid from other neighboring fire departments as needed, can handle these situations.

Wildland fires can overwhelm local resources and it takes time for wildland fire crews to assemble and begin to attack the fire. Whether your house and possessions can survive during this time depends on whether you had taken some simple steps to make your house and lot fire-resistive.

Fire depends on three conditions—oxygen, heat and fuel. You can’t do anything about oxygen or hot weather but you can definitely deal with the fuel leg of the fire triangle. No fuel, no fire. Your preparations are the core of the Firewise program.

If your house is fire-resistive—no combustible plants lead to the house—

If your house is fire-resistive—non-flammable roofing, screened attic and foundation vents—

then the ignition potential is much less and your house has a much better chance of survival. Firewise landscaping isn’t bleak and ugly, and wildlife habitat may be enhanced by providing better cover for certain species. At first glance Firewise landscaping may not look that different from the neighbor’s.

The Firewise program is voluntary and is handled in Shelter Bay by resident volunteers. No one will force you to join the program. However, many thoughtful people in Shelter Bay have taken advantage of the program. Stop off at the Shelter Bay Office and pick up some Firewise literature.

YOU could be the beneficiary.

Pruning: An Important Firewise Practice

Pruning is typically done to encourage the development of a strong, healthy tree. It can involve removing dead branches or live growth, and it can be done to accomplish a number of objectives, including thinning, raising or reducing the tree crown. Following are some helpful guidelines for safe and effective pruning of your own trees.

Prune first for safety, next for health, and finally for aesthetics.
Never prune trees that are touching or near utility lines; instead consult your local utility company.
Avoid pruning trees when you might increase susceptibility to important pests (e.g., in areas where oak wilt exists, avoid pruning oaks in the spring and early summer).
Do not remove more than one-quarter of the living crown of a tree at one time. If it is necessary to remove more, do it over successive years.

Also, use the folllowing guide for making decisions concerning the size of branches to be removed:

If under 5 cm. in diameter, go ahead.
If between 5 and 10 cm. in diameter, think twice; and
If greater than 10 cm. in diameter, be sure to have a good reason.

If you doubt your ability to safely prune large trees, consult a local tree specialist or hire a professional arborist.