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P.O. Box 98
24310 Main Street
Elbert, CO 80106 |
Phone: (303)
648-3000
Fax: (303) 648-3650 |
Since 10.10.04 |
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Forest
Home Fire Safety
by
F.C. Dennis
Fire
Protection in Rural Areas
Colorado's rural areas are undergoing increasingly
greater development. More people are building homes in
forests or brush lands to take advantage of these natural
environments.
Often, these sites are quite remote. However, people
moving from urban settings expect traditional fire and
emergency services. They do not understand the fire
protection limitations that exist in rural areas:
- Most rural fire departments are volunteer.
Firefighters are not generally present at the fire
stations. In addition, the number of firefighters able
to respond may be limited, especially during daytime
hours during the traditional work week.
- Response time may be quite long. Volunteers must
reach the fire station from home or work, start the
fire vehicles and drive to the fire scene. The fire
scene may be quite far from the station.
- Water supplies and firefighting equipment are
limited. Often, the only significant water supply is
that which the fire trucks themselves carry. Water
shuttles or refill locations must be established and
coordinated.
- Approaching the fire scene may be difficult. Narrow,
steep roads and driveways may limit or even prevent
access by emergency equipment. Bridges may have weight
limitations that prevent large trucks and tankers from
reaching the fire. When wildfire does strike, it can
occur with little warning and spread quickly. Fire
crews and equipment often are overwhelmed by the task
of fighting a rapidly advancing wildfire. There may
simply not be enough personnel and equipment to defend
every home.
Homeowner Preparations
Homeowners can do a great deal to prepare their
property for wildfire. Some of these things are detailed
in these fact sheets:
The following checklist and guidelines will help you
prepare for fire safety, evacuation and home defense. Use
it as a guide to enhance home site safety.
This is an annual checklist. Don't wait until a
fire is approaching to perform these tasks.
Figure 1:
- Thin tree and brush cover.
- Dispose of slash and debris left from
thinning.
- Remove dead limbs, leaves and other litter.
- Stack firewood away from home.
- Maintain irrigated greenbelt.
- Mow dry grasses and weeds.
- Prune branches to 10 feet above the ground.
- Trim branches.
- Clean roof and gutters.
- Reduce density of surrounding forest.
Annual Fire Safety Checklist
- Thin trees and brush properly within the defensible
space.
- Remove trash and debris from the defensible space.
- Remove any trees growing through the porch.
- Clear roof and gutters of leaves and debris.
- Remove branches overhanging chimney and roof.
- Stack firewood uphill or on a contour away from the
home.
- Use noncombustible roof materials.
- Place shutters, fire curtains or heavy drapes on
windows.
- Place screens on foundation and eave vents.
- Enclose sides of stilt foundations and decks.
- Use a chimney screen or spark arrester.
- Clear vegetation around fire hydrants, cisterns,
propane tanks, etc.
- Make sure an outdoor water supply is available, with
hose, nozzle and pump.
- Make sure fire tools, ladder and fire extinguishers
are available.
- Post address signs that are clearly visible from the
street or road.
- Make sure the driveway is wide enough for fire
trucks and equipment.
- Post load limits on bridges.
- Install and test smoke detectors.
- Practice a family fire drill and evacuation plan.
Evacuation Tips
- If a wildfire is threatening your area, listen to
your radio for updated reports and evacuation
information.
- Confine pets to one room and make plans to take care
of them in the event of evacuation.
- Arrange for temporary housing with a friend or
relative whose home is outside the threatened area.
Leave a note in a prominent place in your home that
says where and how you can be contacted.
- If your home is threatened by wildfire, you will be
contacted and advised by law enforcement officers to
evacuate. If you are not contacted, or you decide to
stay and help defend your home, evacuate pets and any
family members not needed to protect your home.
- Remove important documents, mementos, etc. from the
possible fire area.
- When evacuating, wear protective clothing: sturdy
shoes, cotton or woolen clothing, long pants, a
long-sleeved shirt, gloves, and a handkerchief to
protect your face.
- Choose a route away from the fire if possible. Watch
for changes in the speed and direction of the fire and
smoke.
- Take a disaster supply kit containing:
- a supply of drinking water;
- one change of clothing and footwear for each
member of the family;
- a blanket or sleeping bag for each person;
- a first aid kit that also includes any
prescription medications;
- emergency tools including a battery-powered
radio, flashlight and extra batteries;
- an extra set of car keys and credit cards, cash
or traveler's checks; and
- extra pairs of eyeglasses and other special
items for infant, elderly or disabled family
members.
Defending Your Home
Whether you choose to stay to defend your home or to
evacuate, complete as many of the following preparations
as possible.
- Do not jeopardize your life. No material item is
worth a life.
- Wear fire-resistant clothing and protective gear.
- Remove combustible materials from around structures.
- Close or cover outside vents and shutters.
- Position Garden hoses so they reach the entire
house. Have the hoses charged, with an adjustable
nozzle, but turned off.
- Place large, full water containers around the house.
Soak burlap sacks, small rugs or large rags in the
containers.
- Place a ladder against the roof of the house on the
opposite side of the approaching wildfire. Place a
Garden hose near the ladder, prepared as described
previously.
- Place portable pumps near available water supplies,
such as pools, hot tubs, creeks, etc.
- Close all windows and doors. Do not lock them.
- Close all inside doors.
- Turn on a light in each room, and all outside
lights.
- Leave them on even during daylight hours.
- Fill tubs, sinks and any other containers with
water.
- Shut off the gas at the outside meter of the propane
tank.
- Remove lace, nylon or any other drapes and curtains
made from light material. Close Venetian blinds, heavy
drapes or fire-resistant window coverings.
- Move overstuffed furniture into the center of the
house, away from windows and sliding glass doors.
- Park your car in the garage, facing out. Close the
windows but do not lock the doors. Leave the keys in
the ignition.
- Close the garage door but leave it unlocked.
- Disconnect the automatic garage door opener.
1 Wildfire
Hazard Mitigation Coordinator, Colorado State Forest
Service. This fact sheet was produced in cooperation with
the Colorado State Forest Service. FIREWISE is a
multi-agency program that encourages the development of
defensible space and the prevention of catastrophic
wildfire. 5/99.
Updated Wednesday, May 02, 2001.
© Colorado State University Cooperative
Extension. 1995-2001.
Home Page: www.ext.colostate.edu.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts
of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Milan A. Rewerts, Director of
Cooperative Extension, Colorado State University, Fort
Collins, Colorado. Cooperative Extension programs are
available to all without discrimination. No endorsement of
products mentioned is intended nor is criticism implied of
products not mentioned.
Since
10.10.04
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