Spokane County Fire District urging homeowners to create ‘defensible space’ for fire danger
SPANGLE, Wash.– Over the weekend, a house near Spangle came close to burning after a remote control airplane lost control and crashed into a neighbor’s wheat field.
However, the defensible space in the backyard helped stop the fire. Thanks to that, the homeowner’s family and home are safe.
“Even dry fuels being mowed down are going to slow the progression of the fire,” said Dustin Flock, Division Chief at the Spokane County Fire District 3.
That mowed area acted as a fire buffer, and it was able to slow down the fire.
“That gave the homeowner opportunity to put some water in that area and make it a little damp,” Flock said.
Fire Chief says there are simple ways to protect your homes from fire, like keeping things that can’t catch fire such as rock.
“If there’re flowers or other vegetations that have higher moisture content around the home,” Flock said.
Flock also recommends checking rain gutters to remove built-up debris like leaves and pine needles because the fewer the fuels, the better.
“It might not be entirely pleasing just the amount of wildfire we tend to get these days. The more precaution we can take as a homeowner, the better,” Flock said.
If you don’t know where or how to start this space for your homes, call your local fire departments and arrange for a fire expert to come out and guide you.
READ: Preparing for fire season: How wildfire smoke affects our health
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
