It's Not a Matter of "If" a Wildfire Will Happen in Lake Tahoe, It's a Matter of "When"

Can you survive the next wildfire in Lake Tahoe? Yes, if your community is prepared.

The Lake Tahoe Basin's firefighting agencies and UNR Cooperative Education have come together to promote the "Fire Adapted Community Concept." This type of community has five elements:

1. Community Protection - Well-designed fuelbreaks and safe areas protect the community.

2. Defensible Space - Proper management of vegetation surrounding the home reduces the wildfire threat.
3. Access - Good access helps emergency responders arrive in a timely manner.
4. Evacuation - Prepared communities can evacuate safely and effectively.
5. Built Environment - Appropriate home construction and maintenance resists ignition.

There are proven steps that homeowners can take to increase not only their own safety, but that of their home.

"Two hours of your time makes a difference if your house burns." This was the message John Pickett gave Tahoe Douglas Rotarians on Friday. "Small details actually matter to save your home in a fire," said the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department's Forester and Defensible Space Inspector.

Pickett's talk to the Rotarians was part of wildfire safety weekend in South Lake Tahoe. On Saturday, the inaugural Wildfire Safety Expo was hosted by the City of South Lake Tahoe at the Y. It featured local firefighting agencies as well as booths with information concerning what plants to use, tips for making your home fire safe and other useful information.

Pickett warned that there is one important task that many homeowners forget about. He said that a local homeowner who did all of his due diligence in preparing his home and yard still had his house burn down. The one thing he didn't do? Close his windows. When you leave your home, close your windows as you may not be able to get home in the case of a wildfire. Open windows invite ignition.

Defensible space is something every homeowner can do to protect their home. Here are some of Pickett's guidelines:

* Use the right groundcover in your yard. Rubber is the worst and bark is right behind it. Gravel is best )when installing your BMP's and hate raking the pine needles out of the stones, put 1/3 to 3/4" of pea gravel over the top).
* Treated wood is inflammable. Maintain and restain when needed as treatments wear off.
* Get rid of material that leads fire to your house. If you have a wooden fence ending at your house, consider a metal gate to break the flow.
* Rake up pine needles once in spring and then leave them in order to prevent soil erosion in fall.
* Don't leave wood or pine needles under a deck. They create perfect kindling for a fire.

Pickett said to pay attention as its the small details that actually matter when saving your home in case of a fire.

When looking at your property, the UNR Cooperative Education guidelines have you divide it into three areas: the noncombustible area; the lean, clean and green area; the wildland fuel reduction area.

Noncombustible Area - create this at least five feet wide around the base of your home. This area nees to have a very low potential for ignition from flying embers. Use irrigated herbaceous plants such as lawn, ground cover and flowers that are recommended for the Lake Tahoe Basin; rock mulches; or hard surfaces such as brick and pavers, in this area. Keep it free of woodpiles, wood mulches, dead plants, dried leaves and needles, flammable shrubs such as juniper, and debris.

Lean, Clean and Green Area - For a distance of at least 30 feet from the home. Lean indicates that only a small amount of flammable vegetation, if any, is present within 30 feet of the house. Clean means there is no accumulation of dead vegetation or flammable debris within the area. Green denotes that plants located within this area are kept healthy, green and irrigated during fire season. This area often has irrigation, contains ornamental plants and is routinely maintained.

Wildland Fuel Reduction Area - This area usually lies beyond the residential landscape and often consists of naturally occurring plants, such as pine trees, manzanita, sagebrush, etc. Within this area remove all dead vegetation, think out thick shrubs and trees to create a separation between them, prevent ladder fuels by removing low tree branches and shrubs under the trees.

According to Pickett, inside corners of homes and the complex geometry of a house attracts the natural flow of fire. A fire will also stop at decks and steps, causing more damages in these areas.

Tahoe Douglas Fire received a $50,000 grant to have foresters go to homes to help with defensible space. Lake Valley Fire received a grant for homeowners to replace their shake roofs, and there is more information available for keeping your home protected. Living With Fire has information for everyone.

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