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‘Firewise' is fire protected
By Sharon Hall
Although 20-24 structures were threatened by the Woody Creek Fire last week, none were damaged says Lumpkin County Fire Chief Ed Eggert. That's because LCFD personnel spent their time making sure leaves were removed from around homes and out buildings and setting backfires to stop the blaze that burned nearly 600 acres of National Forest Service and Georgia Forestry Commission land between Monday and Wednesday last week.
Two of the structures the firefighters helped protect were the Yahoola valley home and shop of local blacksmith Rick Woodard. Woodard, who has lived on the edge of National Forest land for the last 10 years, says it was an experience he never wants to go through again, but that he did learn some things in the process.
“At one point my shop was completely surrounded [by fire],” he says. “I've learned to keep the brush and stuff away from my buildings, and as the years go by I will be cleaning out more brush around the buildings.”
That's only one of the lessons “Firewise,” a program of the Georgia Forestry Commission, has to teach, and Woodard says the next time they have Firewise classes, he will be attending.
While north Georgia does not have the kind of wildfires California experiences that make the national news every year, the area does have its share of fires that consume 100s of acres. Of the top 25 fires in the state of Georgia over the last 10 years, the top three occurred in Lumpkin County-all in the month of November.
In 1999 two fires burned simultaneously during a several day period, razing 1,850 and 1,763 acres respectively. In 2001, 915 acres were destroyed by the Glass Mine fire before it was put out.
All three wildfires threatened residences before being controlled.
“It used to be you could burn that much forest and not damage a single structure,” says Kris Butler, Chief Ranger for the Georgia Forestry Commission in Lumpkin County. “But with the growth north Georgia has experienced in the last 10 years, that's just not true any more. We don't hardly go to a woods fire any more where a structure isn't threatened. So far, there's been no large amount of structural loss. Sadly, often no attention is paid until there is. Really, all we can do is educate people.”
The forestry commission's Firewise program is a clearing house of information about protecting homes on the wildland/urban interface. It is community driven, Butler says, and involves homeowner associations, planning departments, home builders, local government, neighborhood groups and individuals in an attempt to keep homes safe from wildfire.
When newcomers build their dream home in the mountains, few take the possibility of wildfire into consideration. They build homes to blend in with the surroundings-narrow winding lanes for driveways, wood panelling and cedar shingles, a deck on a slope with a majestic view and native plants in the yard instead of grass.
In addition, many of the people moving from the city to the mountains are not familiar with how fire acts in the woodland. They are accustomed to having a fire department close at hand and don't take into consideration the limitations of rural fire departments.
All of this can spell disaster, but education is the key to safety, says Risks
Three factors can put property, as well as lives, at risk-space around the home and what is and isn't in it, materials used in construction and accessibility.
Wildfire spreads from the woods to a structure in one of three ways-radiant heat, convection or firebrands.
Radiant heat can ignite combustible materials from as far away as 100 feet. Convection heat, rising vertically within a plume of smoke, can also ignite a home. Firebrands, burning material carried long distances by wind, can set a house on fire as well. Firebrands can be carried more than a mile by wind associated with wildfire.
In all three cases, the first line of defense is to create a “defensible zone” around the home.
It is also a good idea to have more than one way into and out of your property, Butler says.
Evacuation
If the worst happens and you much evacuate, there are some things you can do to help the men and women who will be trying to save your home.
n Leave promptly when asked to do so by officials.
n Have a plan for you and your pets, and practice family fire drills.
n Keep emergency phone numbers handy.
n Turn off natural gas at the meter and any propane tanks. Turn off pilot lights to stoves.
n Connect a garden hose to outside taps.
n Leave the lights on and garage and house door unlocked.
n Disconnect automatic garage door openers.
n Close windows.
n Turn off attic fans.
n Leave tools readily available-rakes, shovels and a ladder that will reach the roof.
While the Firewise program's goal is to provide education about how to protect homes from wildfire, it does not have the manpower to recruit “Firewise Communities.”
The Georgia Forestry Commission District that Lumpkin County is a part of covers 1.8 million acres and has eight chief Rangers and 26 firefighters, with access to 22 tractors.
In an emergency, Butler says, the local district can draw on the resources of the entire state, but is is “critical,” Butler says, to work hand-in-hand with residents of areas that are at high risk for wildfire.
Georgia Forestry Commission will work with homeowner associations and neighborhood groups to help them become Firewise Communities.
For more information, contact the district office at 706-867-2898.
Two of the structures the firefighters helped protect were the Yahoola valley home and shop of local blacksmith Rick Woodard. Woodard, who has lived on the edge of National Forest land for the last 10 years, says it was an experience he never wants to go through again, but that he did learn some things in the process.
“At one point my shop was completely surrounded [by fire],” he says. “I've learned to keep the brush and stuff away from my buildings, and as the years go by I will be cleaning out more brush around the buildings.”
That's only one of the lessons “Firewise,” a program of the Georgia Forestry Commission, has to teach, and Woodard says the next time they have Firewise classes, he will be attending.
While north Georgia does not have the kind of wildfires California experiences that make the national news every year, the area does have its share of fires that consume 100s of acres. Of the top 25 fires in the state of Georgia over the last 10 years, the top three occurred in Lumpkin County-all in the month of November.
In 1999 two fires burned simultaneously during a several day period, razing 1,850 and 1,763 acres respectively. In 2001, 915 acres were destroyed by the Glass Mine fire before it was put out.
All three wildfires threatened residences before being controlled.
“It used to be you could burn that much forest and not damage a single structure,” says Kris Butler, Chief Ranger for the Georgia Forestry Commission in Lumpkin County. “But with the growth north Georgia has experienced in the last 10 years, that's just not true any more. We don't hardly go to a woods fire any more where a structure isn't threatened. So far, there's been no large amount of structural loss. Sadly, often no attention is paid until there is. Really, all we can do is educate people.”
The forestry commission's Firewise program is a clearing house of information about protecting homes on the wildland/urban interface. It is community driven, Butler says, and involves homeowner associations, planning departments, home builders, local government, neighborhood groups and individuals in an attempt to keep homes safe from wildfire.
When newcomers build their dream home in the mountains, few take the possibility of wildfire into consideration. They build homes to blend in with the surroundings-narrow winding lanes for driveways, wood panelling and cedar shingles, a deck on a slope with a majestic view and native plants in the yard instead of grass.
In addition, many of the people moving from the city to the mountains are not familiar with how fire acts in the woodland. They are accustomed to having a fire department close at hand and don't take into consideration the limitations of rural fire departments.
All of this can spell disaster, but education is the key to safety, says Risks
Three factors can put property, as well as lives, at risk-space around the home and what is and isn't in it, materials used in construction and accessibility.
Wildfire spreads from the woods to a structure in one of three ways-radiant heat, convection or firebrands.
Radiant heat can ignite combustible materials from as far away as 100 feet. Convection heat, rising vertically within a plume of smoke, can also ignite a home. Firebrands, burning material carried long distances by wind, can set a house on fire as well. Firebrands can be carried more than a mile by wind associated with wildfire.
In all three cases, the first line of defense is to create a “defensible zone” around the home.
It is also a good idea to have more than one way into and out of your property, Butler says.
Evacuation
If the worst happens and you much evacuate, there are some things you can do to help the men and women who will be trying to save your home.
n Leave promptly when asked to do so by officials.
n Have a plan for you and your pets, and practice family fire drills.
n Keep emergency phone numbers handy.
n Turn off natural gas at the meter and any propane tanks. Turn off pilot lights to stoves.
n Connect a garden hose to outside taps.
n Leave the lights on and garage and house door unlocked.
n Disconnect automatic garage door openers.
n Close windows.
n Turn off attic fans.
n Leave tools readily available-rakes, shovels and a ladder that will reach the roof.
While the Firewise program's goal is to provide education about how to protect homes from wildfire, it does not have the manpower to recruit “Firewise Communities.”
The Georgia Forestry Commission District that Lumpkin County is a part of covers 1.8 million acres and has eight chief Rangers and 26 firefighters, with access to 22 tractors.
In an emergency, Butler says, the local district can draw on the resources of the entire state, but is is “critical,” Butler says, to work hand-in-hand with residents of areas that are at high risk for wildfire.
Georgia Forestry Commission will work with homeowner associations and neighborhood groups to help them become Firewise Communities.
For more information, contact the district office at 706-867-2898.
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For example, if Mr. Fill-in-the-Blank says something you don't agree with, don't tell the world that Mr. Fill-in-the-Blank is a no good dirty scoundrel who cuts off people in traffic and has owed you $20 since 1997. The Nugget asks you to please just stick to the issues at hand. That way we'll keep the debate lively, without getting personal. And remember, above all else, keep it civil and directed at the topic that's being discussed. We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
