Fire Danger

Fire danger and what you can do to protect yourself

            It is always a good idea no matter what the season to keep an eye on the environment around us. If the weather is hot and things are starting to get dried out, look around. Is the grass by the road or in the field next to your house getting tall and dry? Are the trees in your yard getting dangerously close to the house or any of the outbuildings? Is there a burn ban in place for the summer? Is there a history of wildfires in your location in past years? Where is the closest Forest service office or park service that would have signs telling what the fire danger level is? If the fire danger is high, it is a really good idea to pay close attention. You need to know where these signs are and know what the fire danger level is during the summer months.

            The trees, bushes, and grass can be very beautiful, but if not properly taken care of, they can be a big danger to you, your family, or loved ones. Sometimes it can be just a matter of mowing a field or weed eating along the road or fence line.

            If the dried bushes, trees, or grass belong to the neighbor it might not be quite so easy. Sometimes the neighbor likes the privacy that the trees or bushes give to their property and doesn’t want them cut down. The neighboring property might belong to a person that lives out of state and doesn’t know that there is a problem. It might be a good idea to let them know about the dangers that you are dealing with. Like the old saying goes “A picture is worth a thousand words.” It might just be a matter of sending some pics on your iPhone to begin resolving the problem. If the owner of the property doesn’t agree with your thinking it would be a good idea to contact a local tree trimming or landscaping company and get their opinion. If it is possible git written documentation from them. Sometimes a representative of the landscaping company can talk to your neighbor and emphasize your concern. If the issue is the cost of having the landscaping or tree trimming work done it might be worth it to pay for part of the fees to make the area safer for your property and the safety of your loved ones.   

            Sometimes a person can form a fire break. A fire break can be a mowed area cleared from trees and bushes. This area would be eight or ten feet wide and the length of the area that you need to be protected. This can be used to slow down the fire so there is a greater chance of getting the fire under control or contained is the term normally used by the firefighters.

            Needless to say, this can be more of a job than we can physically do or have time for ourselves. That’s when we need to contact a local tree trimming or landscaping business. If you are in the Yakima area the company that I recommend is Black Sheep Tree Service. There is no fee for getting their opinion and for getting a bid for the work that needs to be done. They are some of the bests in the business and are always fair with their bids and honest in all of their dealings.