Be firewise: Base officials offer tips to prevent wildfires

Published March 28, 2014
By Kimberly Woodruff
Staff Writer

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE -- An outbreak of recent wildfire events has Tinker and local communities taking an early look at necessary precautions to prevent fires.

Tinker Fire and Emergency Services recently aided the Oklahoma City Fire Department and extinguished suspicious fires in the woods southwest of Tinker's Area D, near the 38th Cyberspace and Engineering Installation Group. Several nights later, Tinker fire crews again answered a call to assist departments in Jones as part of an Oklahoma County Wildland Fire Task Force.

Only two weeks before, on-base crews extinguished Tinker's first grass fire of the season when sudden high winds spilled the hot contents of a grill in the Mitchel Heights area of base housing, igniting the short dry grasses around two homes. Luckily only the vinyl fences suffered minor melting from the windswept fire.

"Nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans and can be prevented," said Scott Bloxham, Tinker Fire and Emergency Services assistant chief for Fire Prevention.

He said incidents range from unsafe burning of refuse to outdoor cooking. Many incidents occur near transportation routes due to tossing lit cigarettes, dragging chains, driving on flat tires/rims and parking on grass.

"It only takes one spark when conditions are right," Chief Bloxham said. "In Oklahoma, we're finding these conditions more common than not."

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, Oklahoma is at high risk for wildfires nine months out of the year. More than 1,000 wildfires damage or destroy homes located in the Wildland Urban Interface of Oklahoma.

Chief Bloxham said wildfires are nature's way of controlling vegetation, pests and restoring nutrients to soil. The problem has only increased with people moving out to the urban interface, that margin between the concrete city urban areas and the rural setting among open plains of tall grasses, wooded hills or forested mountains. This became all too apparent in 2009 and 2011 when Midwest City and Edmond residents found themselves confronted with wildfires in the urban interface.

So what is a homeowner to do?

Chief Bloxham said to start by controlling sparks and ignition sources, then create and maintain defensible space around the home. According to the FireWise Oklahoma project and the National FireWise programs, this is easily done in zones depending on the size of the property, but start with the first 30-foot zone around the home. This zone should be well irrigated and landscaped with plants limited to carefully-spaced fire resistant species. This gives space for fire suppression equipment to operate in an emergency.

Homeowners should also keep gutters, eaves and roofs free of leaves and other debris. They should also ensure openings in the structure like soffits and other areas have fire resistant screens (no larger than 1/8 inch).

"Tinker's housing area has great defendable zones for occupants to maintain under the same concept," the chief said. "Where Tinker backs up to the urban interface, areas are frequently surveyed and cleared as needed. Area D was a fine example on the night the fire approached from the southwest. Oklahoma City and Tinker crews used the defensible space available just in case."

Chief Bloxham said perhaps the most important thing to remember when being firewise is to know when to go.

"Have a go bag ready for emergencies in case your neighborhood is evacuated," he said. "It can be the same bag for any other emergency. Have a family communication and meeting plan to contact and pass info to other family members outside the area. When the order to evacuate is given, don't hesitate."

Ready, Set, Go!

Oklahoma's "Ready, Set, Go!" Program teaches individuals who live in high risk wildfire areas and the Wildland Urban Interface how to best prepare themselves and their properties against fire threats.

Ready - Preparing for the Fire Threat: Be Ready, Be Firewise. Take responsibility and prepare long before the threat of a wildfire. Have a known meeting place for everyone in the house.

Set - Situational Awareness When a Fire Starts: Pack your vehicle with your emergency items. (Visit www.redcross.org for emergency kit information). Stay aware of the latest news from local media and your local fire department for updated information on the fire.

Go - Leave early! Following your Action Plan makes you prepared and firefighters are now able to best maneuver the wildfire and ensuring the safety of you and your family.

For more FireWise information and how to maintain your urban interface, visit one of the links below. There you will find more tips and information on your FireWise community, or how to start one, not to mention activities for children as well:

www.forestry.ok.gov/burn-ban-information
www.forestry.ok.gov/firewise
www.firewise.org

Get with neighbors so everyone in the neighborhood is being firewise. People naturally want to protect their homes, but that's why there is insurance -- to replace things, not loved ones. Wildfires happen, so be prepared and be ready to go.

Safe grilling tips:

Place grills over nonflammable surface bare dirt or other fire resistant surfaces at least 5 feet away from dead grass and weeds.
Never transport a barbecue pit or grill with live coals.
Have a source of water nearby in case a fire ignites during grilling.