Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, May 1

Is your home at risk of Wildfire? With the extraordinarily severe 2014 fire season still fresh in their minds, Oregonians are now focusing their efforts to protect their homes and properties against future wildfires. Get involved! Take part in National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on May 2! Commit a couple of hours, or the entire day, and watch as your actions bring your community together and help reduce your wildfire risk. A staggering 751,672 Oregonians (occupying about 342,000 homes) live in forested areas, making them vulnerable to wildfire. “Communities that survive wildfires have one thing in common: They are prepared,” said Cindy Kolomechuk with the Oregon Department of Forestry. “Taking the time to create defensible space around homes can make all the difference in the world.” Creating defensible space is a proven way to minimize wildfire risk. The National Firewise Communities USA Program has crucial tips for creating this “Defensible space,” which simply means to: Maintain the landscape around a home to reduce fire danger; Provide safe access to firefighters so they can protect it. Through its Firewise Communities Program, the National Fire Protection Association has teamed up with State Farm Insurance to provide cash awards of $500 each to 65 individual projects that will be undertaken during the May 2, 2015 event. In 2014, two Oregon communities – Grants Pass and La Pine – received awards to support community preparedness events. This year awards for Oregon go to Cave Junction, Grants Pass, Mission and Ruch. Kolomechuk encouraged residents of communities that intermingle with forested and other undeveloped lands to challenge their family, friends and local organizations to participate in Wildfire Preparedness Day. “By working with your neighbors to reduce wildfire hazards,” she said, “you can help protect homes and even entire communities from future wildfires.” It’s up to you to make that happen.