Sometimes I find my job challenging because I don’t always have tangible, visible results to show after a day of work.
I think this is why I like doing yard work.
Last weekend I raked four bags of those horrible carob tree pods (thanks, neighbor) and then mowed, edged, swept, etc … .after a few hours the result was a beautiful yard.
While I am always quite proud when I am done, I can only image how it would feel to know that my yard work helped save my house from a wildfire.
This week, a report came to our office “How Treatment Fuels Saved Homes from the 2011Wallow Fire.” The report identifies how the reduction in the fuels (grasses and trees), helped slow the growth rate of the Wallow Fire. By thinning the fuels, the fire was easier for the fire fighters to attack. There are some great photos (page 4) of the Alpine area where you can clearly see where the fire burned “hot” and then was slowed in treatment areas before reaching some Alpine residences.
But it not just the fine work of White Mountain Stewardship, the report also highlights how homeowners that created defensible space around their homes assisted the firefighters in structure protection.
By homeowners taking the time to do simple “yard work” chores like clear the roof, gutters and eaves of debris, removing dead trees and trim branches . . . it helped protect their homes.
While I know this weekend my yard work will not yield the dramatic result of saving my house, it will be another opportunity for me to feel the satisfaction of a job well done.
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