No lightning, no problems right?

We are fortunate to call northwest Oregon our home.  When summertime lightning storms burst to life over the Cascades we can usually breathe easy knowing that a lightning bolt in our sky is about as rare as seeing Bigfoot himself.  So what exactly is our fire problem here, and who or what is to blame when we do have a wildfire?

More often then not we need to point the finger at ourselves and blame our fellow human beings for the wildfires that burn during northwest Oregon's summers.  If you have lived around here for any significant amount of time, you have likely already heard the stories of the "Tillamook Burn", and how on August 14, 1933 a logging company outside of Gales Creek wanted to haul one last log out before the Forestry Department closed the woods for the day due to high fire danger.  As that final log was yarded up to the landing it rubbed either a steel cable, or another tree, and the friction that ensued sparked one of Oregon's largest wildfires right in the very Coast Range Mountains we watch the sun set over every night.  Our modern experience with wildfires in this area has not been as dramatic as that 311,000 acre first Tillamook Burn fire, but our causes are consistent in that humans are still at fault for a majority of our wildfires; as we grow and more people make the woods their backyard, we can only expect that the number of human caused wildfires will grow too.  So what can we do to prevent our own behavior from creating a wildfire tragedy this summer?

The aftermath of the Tillamook Burn can be seen in this Wikipedia photo

Burn piles

The elephant in the room so to speak for our area is when we use fire outdoors.  Oregon's backyard burn season ends June 15th and doesn't start again until October, so all backyard debris fires are closed during summer months.  Beyond that once the weather hits the point where we expect it to stay dry, the County will almost always ban agricultural burning as well.  It's that grey area of the year, like we've had with this dry spring, when burning is still technically allowed that it gets dangerous.  That's why it's so important to always have a fire break of bare dirt around your burn piles, and to attend them with firefighting tools and water at all times.  When you are done burning, you must make sure that your burn pile is out.  This can be easily done by soaking the burned area and stirring it to create a cold and wet mud that won't allow a fire to continue to burn.  Some burn piles can ignite underground roots, so it's essential that you soak your burning area when you are through with your debris fires.  

Power tools and equipment

Next to burn piles, one of the other significant causes for our wildfire problem is the things we use outside.  It's very important that you check your power equipment like tractors, lawn care tools, motorcycles and ATV's, and others to make sure they are in good working order before using them outdoors during fire season.  Be it a motorcycle without a spark arrestor, or a farm tractor with a worn out bearing, not having a properly maintained powered tool or toy is just as risky during fire season as not using this equipment properly.  

Open flames and fireworks

During fire season 2011, a resident using a cutting torch to work on a car near a grass field nearly destroyed an entire rural neighborhood when sparks ignited the tall and dry grass nearby.  Fire crews stopped the fire literally feet away from one home, and prevented it from spreading to a brushy stand of timber nearby.  Each year fireworks, kids with matches, and cigarettes dropped by motorists are also to blame for unnecessary fires in our area.  Now is the time for parents to lock up those matches and lighters before the kids get out of school for the summer, and make sure that when you purchase your fireworks you only choose those that are legal in Oregon and you keep all fireworks out of the hands of unsupervised children.  If you must use the welder or torch outdoors the same rules that apply to your burn pile apply here too, have water handy and regularly watch the area for hours afterwards to make sure that the smallest ember has not ignited the brush around your work area.  

So, even though it's raining today, as fire season approaches remember what our old friend Smokey Bear says in this classic 1964 public service announcement: "Only you, can prevent forest fires!"

   

   

Daybreak Rotary Club honors our Fire Marshal with the Paul Harris Fellow Award

On the evening of Monday May 13, 2013 Forest Grove Fire & Rescue Fire Marshal David Nemeyer was honored by the Forest Grove Daybreak Rotary Club as one of five local people to receive the Paul Harris Fellow Award.  This award is given each year by the Rotary club to individuals that they feel best meet the clubs mission of service above self, and commitment to their community.  Though not a member of their club, the Daybreak Rotary choose Dave as one of this year's winners in honor of his work revolving around fire prevention and safety in Forest Grove.  Citing the department's efforts in social media, fire safety education for children and adults, and interaction with local and regional news media Dave was called to the stage and presented with a certificate, pin, and medal at the annual banquet of the club held at 1910 American Bistro on Main Street in downtown Forest Grove.  After the banquet Dave said "what an unbelievable honor to be called to that stage, with so many people in the audience who truly are involved with improving Forest Grove, and to have them honor me for what we do as a fire department.  Amazing!" 

On behalf of Forest Grove Fire & Rescue we wish to thank the Daybreak Rotary Club for bestowing this honor upon Dave, and especially for the work that they do in and around Forest Grove every day.  What a wonderful service club in our community! 

 

Home improvement projects for those at risk for wildfire

For the last few weeks we have taken the "cheap and easy" route on some of the tips we've offered for you to ready your home for wildfire season.  So hopefully you've gotten out and started clearing that defensible space, and removed those pesky limbs hanging low in your driveway.  If you are still sitting there on your couch, having a glass of iced tea and dreaming of what sort of projects you can do next to prepare your home for fire season, or if you are considering a major home renovation soon we suggest that you involve some of these larger projects for your wildfire preparedness efforts.

• Change your roofing and/or siding materials.  There is perhaps nothing more attractive than the look of  natural cedar shakes on the roof or side of your home.  Unfortunately, though it's beautiful, cedar is one of the worst things you can have on the exterior of your home.  Sparks and embers from far away wildfires can easily blow miles ahead of the flames, and once these red hots find contact in the nooks and crannies of your shake siding or roofing it's only a matter of time before your house is burning.  We suggest non combustible siding and roofing materials, like cement based products, metal roofing, or even composition roofing material is better than cedar. 
  
• Enclose your eaves, and underneath decks or porches.  These open areas are like candy to the sparks and embers of a wildfire and are another hidden area where a wildfire can easily spread to your home.  If you don't want to completely enclose these places, using 1/8" metal screen is another alternative that can prevent burning embers from entering the hidden areas of your home.
  
• Replace old single pane windows with new, more efficient, heat resistant, tempered glass windows.  Sometimes even the radiant heat from a nearby wildfire can ignite items inside your home without the direct contact of a flame, heat resistant windows can prevent that from happening.
  
• Consider improvements for firefighting water supplies on your home.  This is more than just having a swimming pool or a creek nearby.  We need to be able to get to within 20 feet of the water on an all weather surface such as asphalt or gravel.  Water tanks must have the appropriate connections to be effective, contact your local fire department if you have a water source that they can use, and have it evaluated. 
  
• Install residential fire sprinkler systems in your home.  These are the single most important fire safety tool out there to protect your home, and though they may not prevent a wildfire from damaging your home, they will likely prevent your home fire from becoming a wildfire.  Residential fire sprinklers are literally like having an entire fire department in your home 24/7.  The damage created by their flow of water is nothing compared to the damage of a fire and the water damage associated with our firefighting operations.  

So, if money isn't an option, you're planning a major home remodel, or you want to go the extra mile to make your home as safe as possible we hope that you consider these "big ticket" options for improving your home for fire season.   

New hires and promotions recieve their badges during city council ceremony

Monday, May 13, 2013, was a special night for Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, as three of our employees received their new badges during a ceremony at the weekly meeting of the Forest Grove City Council.  This is a ceremony that we take part in whenever we hire a new employee, or promote internally, and is meant to not only recognize them for the hard work that earned them this honor, but also to instill pride in service to our community.  During this ceremony Fire Chief Michael Kinkade gave a short speech, and then read the oath of office to three employees, Fire Inspector/Captain Chris Woodford, Lieutenant Tony Carter, and Firefighter Cassie Knierim.  Inspector Woodford's badge was pinned to his Class A Uniform by his wife Robin, Lieutenant Carter's family his wife Samantha and sons Bryce and Nolan placed his new badge, and Chief Kinkade pinned Firefighter Knierim's badge on for her.  Congratulations to all three of these well deserving individuals.  

  

Forest Grove House Fire Traps Family Pets Inisde

On the afternoon of Wednesday May 8, 2013 firefighters were dispatched to a report of smoke from a home at 1632 Cedar Street in “Old Town” Forest Grove. Just a few blocks from their fire station, when crews arrived they found smoke and flames coming from a bedroom window, and heavy brown smoke coming from the roof of the home. Early on, Incident Commanders were made aware that the resident of the home was outside and safe, but that her two pet dogs were somewhere in the home. Lieutenant Tony Carter from FGF&R found the dogs, unconscious and not breathing, in an upstairs room, and immediately brought them out of the smoky home as the firefighters from his crew extinguished the fire burning in the first floor bedroom.  

Smoke billows from the home as fire crews arrived on scene

 

Firefighter Randy Hoodenpyl and Lieutenant Jason Kellar from the Gaston Rural Fire Protection District assisted Lieutenant Carter, and firefighters Brad Shinpaugh and Cassie Knierim from Forest Grove with providing oxygen and medical care to the injured dogs. Fire and Police Chaplain Dexter Danielson then took the dogs and the homeowner to the Pacific Avenue Veterinary Clinic in Forest Grove, where the dogs began to recover. They were then transported to a clinic in Hillsboro that was capable of providing 24 hour care.  

Lieutenant Tony Carter (left) and Firefighter Cassie Knierim provide care to the injured dogs

Fire investigators believe the fire is a result of a series of overloaded extension cords and power strips inside the bedroom of the home. The homeowner was outside using a power leaf blower doing yard work at the time of the fire, and was notified by a passerby that smoke was coming from her bedroom window. The 1948 built home had exterior walls made from concrete, so structurally the house is still in excellent shape, unfortunately there was smoke damage throughout the home and estimates are expected to range between $40,000 - $60,000 worth of damage to the contents and structure. Approximately 22 firefighters from Forest Grove, Cornelius, Hillsboro, and Gaston responded to the fire, that took about 30 minutes to contain.  Crews remained on scene for a few hours to extinguish hotspots in the walls and ceilings. Thankfully, there were no injuries to the resident or firefighters.

Fire crews from FGF&R prepare to ventilate the roof of the burning structure to remove dangerous heated gasses that were building up inside the home

Finding and actually getting to your home is the key to protecting it during a wildfire

The rainy winter, and now warm spring, is making for some explosive plant growth in our area.  All of those beautiful green leaves growing from new tree limbs can make it difficult for fire engines to access your home however, so now is the perfect time to get out the pruning tools and open up your driveway so emergency vehicles can safely and quickly get through to your home.

In the event of a major wildfire where homes are being evacuated, fire crews will be going through neighborhoods ahead of the fire trying to determine where they can do the most good.  One of the things that they use to determine if they can protect your home is how quickly they can access it, and how easy it is to get out of there in a hurry if needed  One of the more common arguments we find, is that people compare our fire engines to logging or rock trucks.  Though the vehicles are similar, fire engines are not the same as logging or rock trucks in that our required emergency lighting, and on other equipment on top of and alongside our engines, can easily be damaged by low hanging limbs.  That's why we suggest that you make sure your driveway meets the following criteria for emergency vehicle access:

• Basically you want to keep a drivable "box" that is at least 15 feet wide by 14 feet tall.  Driveways that serve more then one home may need additional width, up to 20 feet wide.
  
• Make sure your driveway is in good shape, rock is packed and covering the surface of the road, there are no ruts, large holes, or washboards.
  
• Create a space large enough for fire engines to turn around at the end of your driveway.  One of the key components to firefighters being able to protect a home is their ability to turn and run quickly if the advancing wildfire becomes too dangerous.  If you have to do a multi-point turn to get your pickup or car out of the driveway in the morning then it's a good indicator that we'll need more room for a fire engine.
  
• Driveways over 1,000 feet long should have at least one wide spot where two fire engines can pass each other.  On rural fires where there are no fire hydrants, we will be bringing larger trucks called water tenders to the fire, these tenders will dump their water and then head to the nearest hydrant to fill up and return to the fire; having a place for trucks to pass each other can make a huge difference in how efficiently we are able to fight a fire on your property.

One other key for protecting your home is our ability to find it quickly.  All of the fancy computer based mapping programs can't beat a plainly visible address sign.  In our area so many roads can be driveways, or they can be logging or farming roads, having numbers posted that show us where your home is can save time and allow us to get on scene faster.  Make sure your address numbers are at least four inches tall, and are placed so they are clearly visible from both directions of travel, as well as during day or night driving conditions.  Forest Grove Fire & Rescue offers free address signs to our rural residents, they can be ordered by calling 503-992-3240 during normal business hours (Monday through Friday 8-5)

Finally, for those of you that protect your property by using a gate we hope that you would consider ways for firefighters to access your property without having to damage the gate.  All Washington County Fire Departments use the Knox Company's fire department access products that include key boxes, automatic gate switches, and padlocks that only your local fire department has the key to.  You can research the Knox products by going to their website http://www.knoxbox.com/ 

As with anything, if you have questions or would like your driveway evaluated, please contact us at 503-992-3240. 

It's time to get ready for wildfire season - start by creating a defensible space

It's May, and during each week of the month we will highlight a different way that you can take steps now to help protect your property this summer.  For this first post, let's talk a little about defensible space.  It's tough for modern northwest Oregon residents to appreciate the shear size of a massive threatening wildfire, it's been decades since a large fire occurred in our part of Oregon, but these fires can be so big that as firefighters are stretched to the limits they must begin to prioritize what homes can be protected, and that starts with the defensible space around your home.

The amount of defensible space you need is dependent on the terrain around your home, if you live in steep country you will likely need to make more room as wildfires burn more severely up steep slopes, but a good rule of thumb is to start with the first thirty (30) feet around your home.  We call this initial 30 feet the primary fire break, and it truly is the best line of defense for not only protecting your home from a wildfire, but it can help prevent a home fire from spreading to the woods too.  If you live with the woods in view of your home, these are some simple steps that you can take to improve your primary fire break:

• Get rid of the dead stuff.  Any vegetation, trees, brush, grass that is dead or dying needs to be removed from this area, but don't stop there.  Check your roof, gutters, around your siding and foundation, as well as under decks and porches to make sure limbs, needles, cones, and leaves, are all cleared out.  In a wildfire sparks can blow ahead of the fire front for long distances, and this debris can easily be ignited.
• Store firewood and other combustible materials at least 20 feet away from your home or structures.
   
• Trim back the trees that are in direct contact with the home's roof or siding materials, and consider removing any and all trees that are within your primary fire break.
• Limit barkdust, wood chips, and other combustible landscaping materials that directly contacts your home.
• Keep your landscaping in this area watered, and only plant native, or fire resistant plants in this primary fire break.  A pamphlet on fire resistant plants can be found here http://www.firefree.org/images/uploads/FIR_FireResPlants_07.pdf

An example of defensible spaces is shown here.  Photo credit to www.readyforwildfire.org

 
Beyond this primary fire break it's also important to consider a secondary fire break.  A secondary fire break should extend at least 100 feet beyond your initial 30 feet of primary fire break.  Steps you can take inside your secondary fire break include:

• Keeping the forest around your home healthy with effective thinning allowing trees to mature and grow.  Remove any dead or dying trees from this area and allow enough space for trees to avoid massed contact with each other.
• Remove the "ladder fuels" that allow a fire burning on the ground to spread to the forest canopy.  Once the tops, or crowns, of the trees begin to burn a "crown fire" becomes the major threat that makes firefighting efforts very complicated and difficult.  Ladder fuels are the brush and small trees near the forest floor that can easily spread the flames into the tree tops.
• Talk to your neighbors, organize work parties to work together and share resources such as tools and heavy equipment to help clear these areas.



The value of a defensible space can be seen in this photo.  Photo credit to the Sacremento Bee www.sacbee.com

For more information, or to schedule a consultation of your home's defensible space, please contact our Fire Prevention Division Monday through Friday at 503-992-3240.