Scott Swanson
With rainfall levels less than 70 percent of normal for this time of year, 2013 is shaping up to be a potentially nasty fire year, fire officials warn, and they are discouraging local residents from burning until it rains again.
As if to illustrate the point, fires broke out over the weekend around the western portion of the state, including two in the Sweet Home area.
The larger of the two was caused when a tree limb fell on a power line near the 35.5-mile mark on Highway 20 in Cascadia. It burned about one-tenth of an acre before Oregon Department of Forestry and Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District personnel put it out, said Neil Miller, wildland fire supervisor for the ODF Sweet Home office.
It proved to us that, even though conditions are green, it was burning very well, with the wind giving it incentive,” Miller said. “It looks like fire season is here, as much as we don’t want to admit it.”
The other local brush fire, in the Green Mountain area, burned a 20-by-30-foot plot of ground after it was started by another blown-down power line, he said. Lebanon fire personnel took care of that one.
NEIL MILLER, wildland fire supervisor for the ODF Sweet Home office, displays a poster urging residents to protect their homes by removing wildfire fuels such as brush.
Several others broke out in Lane County, ranging between 10 and 20
acres in size, Miller said, and one in Douglas County over the weekend
burned some 100 acres.
A lot of those were escaped debris burns, downed power lines or a little bit of lightning overnight,” he said.
With fire dangers rising, an added complication is that budget reductions will eliminate the local ODF fuels reduction crew as of the end of June, meaning that local residents will need to move fast if they want help in reducing flammable growth around their homes.
This year is lining up to be record lows, not only here, but throughout the rest of the state,” Miller said. He said that could portend a long, hard year for firefighters.
Current indications are that there will be “very little moisture” through the month of May.
Fire officials are considering whether to start the burn ban earlier than June 15, the normal start point, he said.
Usually we have a pretty good shot of moisture in June, but this year we’re saying that could not be the case,” he said. “That could line us up with some pretty severe conditions throughout the state. We could be at critical thresholds here within the next month.”
With rainfall at 69 percent of normal since January, Sweet Home has had a total of 15.43 inches by Miller’s calculations, which is well below the 22.77-inch average over the last 25 years.
What kind of concerns us with forestry is that in the last couple of years, the fire season here seems to ramp up later than the rest of the state,” he said. “Last year it went through the end of October. Our work force was reduced when school started, so that made it harder. This year, if June and July are as dry as it looks like they could be, we could be looking at a five-month season on the west side of state. That will probably put stress on the whole state, with resources.”
The fuels crew is already working to reduce growth around homes in the local area, and Miller urged homeowners to get in touch with ODF at (541) 367-6108 if they have concerns about their homes’ safety.
His advice to residents: “Clean up around your homes, but if you don’t need to burn debris piles now, don’t burn them.”
Miller said a juvenile crew is expected to work through the summer on fuels reduction, but they will only work within 150 feet of homes.
Homeowners interested in discussing their options are encouraged to contact Brent Peterson, fire planning manager, at the Sweet Home office number above.
Also, anyone interested in burning is reminded to call the county Burn Line at (541) 451-1904.
Miller said people have been exceeding the allowed burn times, which is, he said, “an irritant not only to ourselves but to their neighbors.”
He said DEQ or law enforcement will get involved in cases where people are not cooperating with fire officials and the burn requirements.
This week, May 5-12, is Oregon Wildfire Awareness Week, and fire protection agencies are warning that Oregonians most at risk from wildfire are those who dwell in the wildland-urban interface – those in suburban subdivisions located near a stand of timber.
Landscaping can beautify a home and also reduce the fire threat. There are two key things to remember: spacing, and species. Planting trees and shrubs with enough distance between them can hinder a wildfire from burning through the vegetation and reaching the home. Once planted, the trees and shrubs must be maintained by periodic trimming and pruning. A well-watered lawn mowed short also strengthens the barrier to fire.
Some shrubs, in addition to being attractive, also resist fire. Oregon State University Extension publishes “Fire-Resistant Plants for Home Landscapes” available free at: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/20921/%2apnw590.pdf Fire-resistant plants are those that do not readily ignite from a flame or other ignition source.
These plants can be damaged or even killed by fire. But their foliage and stems do not significantly contribute to the fuel and, therefore, the fire’s intensity. Fire-resistant plant species must be watered and kept trimmed to maximize the buffer effect against a wildfire. Many have the advantage of requiring less care than common ornamentals.
In preparing for the arrival of warm, dry weather, the most important thing is to get into the fire season mode. From late spring through early fall, Oregonians live in a wildfire environment. Whenever we work or play in the outdoors during this time, fire safety must be foremost in our minds.
Fire was here first and will always be a part of Oregon’s forested landscape,” Oregon State Forester Doug Decker said. “For property owners on the forest fringe, some planning ahead now–and a weekend of outdoor work this spring–can make a difference when we get into the heart of fire season and high fire danger this summer. You can give our firefighters an extra edge by being wildfire aware and ready yourselves.”
For helpful tips on wildfire safety at home and in the forest, visit the Keep Oregon Green Association website, http://www.keeporegongreen.org/. Another resource is the Firewise Toolkit, http://www.firewise.org/information/firewise-toolkit.aspx
Miller said the Mid-Willamette Fire School is scheduled to be held June 24-28 in Sweet Home, involving workers from a wide variety of forestry and fire prevention agencies.