Have Their Backs. Live Firewise

Arizona is what’s known in the emergency management business as a “wildfire state,” which is another way of saying our state has a history of large, destructive wildfires. The reasons for that unfortunate designation are long-term drought and hot, dry and windy summers—the perfect conditions for wildfires.

Last year, over 1,500 wildfires occurred in Arizona. That total is below our 10 year (2005 - 2014) average of 2,233, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center, but one or two slow seasons doesn't mean this summer won’t be busy.

In 2006, there were 1,601 reported wildfires in Arizona, including  the largest in state history. The Wallow Fire burnt over 538,000 acres, forced the evacuation of thousands, and damaged or destroyed 78 total structures in Apache, Greenlee, Graham and Navajo counties.

While there is no way of knowing where or when the next big wildfire will spark, there are ways to protect lives and property in the Whole Community. Wildfire mitigation is the focus of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs’ first ever public service announcement (PSA) campaign.

The Have Their Backs PSAs focus on the home and/or business owners’ responsibility to the Whole Community. The radio and television spots and billboards pay tribute to wildland firefighters who “go to extraordinary lengths to save lives and property,” and asks Arizonans to “have their backs” by living Firewise®.

A person who "lives Firewise" takes steps to reduce the impact of wildfire on lives, property and the local economy. With the 2015 wildfire season a few weeks away, Arizonans who own homes and businesses in the wildland-urban interface are asked to make do-it-yourself improvements on their property:

·         Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves and debris.

·         Trim trees that overhang your house.

·         Replace or repair loose or missing roof shingles.

·         Enclose under-eave and soffit vents or screens with metal mesh.

·         Cover exterior attic vents with metal wire mesh.

·         Repair or replace broken windows and damaged or loose window screens.

·         Screen or box in areas below raised patios and decks.

·         Move flammable materials such as mulch or firewood piles away from exterior walls.

·         Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches such as lawn furniture.

The Have Their Backs campaign will continue through June and was produced in association with the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Arizona State Forestry Division, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, freelance photographer Kari Greer and videographer Renette Saba.

DEMA is working with the Arizona Broadcasters’ Association to air its television and radio spots statewide. Billboards were placed in fire-prone areas, including Globe, Heber-Overgaard, Prescott and Sierra Vista.

The Firewise Communities Program®, www.firewise.org, is a national fire prevention and mitigation campaign that “teaches people how to adapt to living with wildfire and encourage neighbors to work together and take action now to prevent losses.” DEMA received permission from the National Fire Protection Association to use the Firewise trademark.

For more information on the PSA campaign and what you can do to Have Their Backs, visit the Arizona Emergency Information Network website at https://ein.az.gov/have-their-backs-live-firewise.

Share your opinion of the campaign with us at azein@azdema.gov. 

Yard Work Brings Ultimate Payoff

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.

Spring Flowers; Danger Ahead

I remember the days before I worked in emergency management. When I would look at the green hills in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve and get excited about what a great wildflower season it would be.

But now I am tainted.

While I will still enjoy the beauty of hikes through the Preserve, now I worry about what is left after those lovely flowers dry up . . . the fuel for fast moving fires.

You can already see the stories popping up in the news . . . our winter rain showers resulted in desert growth that could lead to a busy wildland fire season. If you are thinking you are safe living in the city, think again. Wildfires don’t happen only where there are trees.

A fire that occurs in the desert, or on that mountain behind your house, can spread quickly by burning through those dead wildflowers and dry desert shrubs. If you haven’t done your part to clear the dead brush from your landscape, the fire can quickly start burning on your land too. As they say in my business, disasters don’t know boundaries, property lines, county lines, state lines, etc.

The good news is there are things you can do to minimize your risk. Remove dead bushes, leaves, wildflowers to clear a defensible space around your house. When you see the photos of neighborhoods that were impacted by fires, many times the houses that were spared had taken steps to minimize their risk.

It is sort of funny how whatever job you currently have raises your awareness for different things. Back in my retails days, I was quite a handbag snob. I could tell you if it was an expensive bag from twenty paces away. But alas, those days have gone and now worry about my neighbor and the excessive weeds in the alley that run along his wooden fence.