Is It a Red Flag Day?
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Is it a Red Flag Day? A Special Section on the Social Aspects of Wildfire Presented by the National Park Service in cooperation with Project Learning Tree, the Fire Prevention Officers of Marin County, and the Marin Independent Journal Advertising Department 2 Fire Recycles ildland fire is an plant particles while the larger material AIR SUN W ecological remains as ash. process affecting almost Ash returns nutrients from plants back all of the earth's vegeta- into the soil, especially calcium, potassi- tion. Underwater plants um and phosphorous. Nitrogen is are generally an returned by the nitrogen-fixing plants that PLANTS excpetion, although flourish after a fire and begin the process FIRE when seaweed or algae of regrowth. Without nitrogen, proteins are left onshore to dry, cannot be made, and DNA cannot be SOIL they too, can become fuel. reproduced. In some places, wildland fire occurs regularly enough that Most of the earth's nitrogen is in the species depend on it. air, but can’t be breathed in. Nitrogen-fix- What's Inside ers host bacteria in their roots which The length of a fire return interval, or convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form Fire Recycles . 2 "fire cycle" varies based on the climate, plants and animals can use. Defensible Space vegetation, and ignition frequency of a Like many hardwood trees, shrubs and other Perspectives. 3 particular location. Ignitions are mainly Plants in the pea family (legumes) are flowering plants, this California bay survived caused by lightning, volcanic ash, lava, notorious for their nitrogen fixing abilities. a wildfire by resprouting at the base. nal How Defensible Many farmers rotate their crops with Space Became Law or a variety of human sources, both soybeans (a legume) because they in California . 3 planned and accidental. Without humans, the most significant ignition replentish the soil with nitrogen. Extreme Fire Weather source is lightning. Almost all of Marin’s Important nitrogen fixers in Fire recycles. and Red Flag Days. 4 wildland fire is human-caused. Marin's ecosystems include It is not inherently Causes of Wildfire ceanothus, lupine, alder, good or bad. It’s a Fire recycles energy and nutrients from physical earth process. in Marin. 5 plants back into the soil and atmos- lotus, and the bluegreen algae in some lichens. Defensible Space phere. Anything that burns is fuel, including homes, espe- Guidelines . 6 The energy from the sun that powers Some species are cially homes made of wood. If you live in a heavily highly adpated to sur- Marin Independent Jour How to Dispose of plant growth is released when vegeta- vegetated area, don’t let your home be recycled too. Vegetation Debris . 7 tion burns. During photosynthesis, plants vive fire. Redwood and Reduce fuel by removing and separating vegetation. and coast live oak, for This creates defensible space. Make your home more Community use carbon from carbon dioxide and instance, have very fire Resources. 8 hydrogen from water to make new cells. fire resistant with less flammable roofing, siding and Energy stored in countless carbon- resistant bark. Oaks can decking. In the wildland-urban interface we can pre- Acknowledgments: hydrogen bonds is released as heat dur- even resprout from the vent loss by being FIRE WISE and FIRE SAFE. ing a wildland fire. top part of the tree. These Thick bark can protect trees. Marin’s agencies charged with are excellent plants for fire- wildfire preparedness and sup- Photosynthesis means “building with DEFENSIBLE SPACE Supplement to the pression would like to recognize wise landscaping around your • light.” Combustion is a way of "breaking Supervisor Hal Brown, founder CAN SAVE YOUR with fire". Water and carbon dioxide are home. and chairman of FIRESafe Marin, PLACE for his leadership, vision and ded- released as components of smoke. Jennifer Chapman, ication to making Marin a safer Smoke also contains tiny unburned Fire Education Specialist, National Park Service place to live. We are very grateful to Linda Black, Business Development Director, and Jim Anderson, Break the Cycle of Repetitive Loss Graphic Designer at the IJ. , August 23, 2003 Linda’s planning expertise and Jim’s outstanding art and design day skills provided essential contribu- Homes Lost, Homes at Risk tions to this publication. Satur The National Weather Service From 1985 to 1995, over 9,000 homes in the U.S. were Trees trimmed • in Monterey and the Fire Weather lost to wildfire. at least 10’ office in Redding provided invalu- from chimney able guidance in developing the ACE? In 1999, 817 sturctures burned; in 2000, 861 structures weather diagrams on page 4. burned; in 2001, 731 structures burned; in 2002, 815 10’ Special thanks also to Pete structures burned. Trees pruned to Martin, veteran Marin County fire- eliminate ladder 30’Clearance fighter, for assistance and inspi- fuels ration. In California, 585,254 homes are at "extreme" risk from 30’ Cover photo courtesy of Cali- wildfire. The cost of rebuilding these homes and replac- fornia Department of Forestry ing their contents is over $106 billion. There are Shrubs no and Fire Protection. higher than 18” 7,000,000 homes at “high to extreme”.risk. within 30’area Funding was provided by the VE DEFENSIBLE SP National Fire Plan. (sources: National Fire Protection Association, National Interagency REDUCING FUEL Fire Center, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection). "It's not just a INCREASES SURVIVAL water planet, it's also a fire planet." Defensible Space is a Human Adaptation to Fire DO YOU HA Defensible Space Protects 3 Firefighters this, the building of homes adjacent to or tively and safely defend the house. intermixed into the wildland areas has Protection decisions will be based ach year during become common and extensive, and it on several factors relating to the E the hot and dry is inevitable many of these homes will structure, the impending threat months of summer, face the threat of fire. and firefighter safety. Firefighters California’s willdand The term “Defensible Space” is widely are well aware and accept the firefighters are called to used, but not always completely under- risks associated with our profes- duty to combat wildand stood. Your firefighters look at “Defensi- sion, “Defensible Space” is an fires across the state. ble Space” as the space between a essential way you can help us safe- Our state has some of the most beauti- house and an oncoming wildfire where ly protect your home. ful landscape in the country and it is the vegetation has been modified to Have a safe and wonderful summer. easy to understand why people have reduce the wildfire intensity and provide Ken Massucco, chosen to call it home. As a result of an opportunity for firefighters to effec- Fire Chief, Marin County Fire Department How Homeowners Defensible Space Became Law e are owners of adjacent proper- ways to be involved. Margaret has long W ties on Inverness Ridge, in Par- chaired the Emergency Preparedness in California adise Ranch Estates (P.R.E.), which Committee. She wrote several success- barely escaped the Vision Fire’s path. ful grants that started a rebate program Long before the term Our families had worked closely togeth- (up to $100) for clearing and chipping Supplement to the “defensible space” was er to create defensible space around around one's house, and for chipping bers. We have all written articles stress- coined, and later written into and within our two properties, so that at debris at a drop-off along our main road. ing fuel reduction measures in our asso- statute by the legislature in the time of the fire, firefighters recog- She also divided P.R.E. into 9 neighbor- ciation's excellent newsletter. We also 1987 and 1992, the concept nized they could safely defend both of hood areas with liaisons who maintain attended a 3-day Fire wise workshop at had been actively employed our structures. Before the fire, we had current phone numbers and addresses Asilomar, which emphasized defensible for over 300 years. Clearing requested inspections by our local fire of owners for emergency purposes. space. vegetation for fire protection department and followed their recom- Paul and Russell look after the emer- We are grateful for the partnerships was done by Native Ameri- mendations. We continue to manage gency siren system. Paul and Lucille that exist which led to 2 federal grants Marin Independent Journal cans, Spanish missionaries, vegetation, maintain fuelbreaks and participate in RACES, the Radio Ama- for fuel reduction and fire safe improve- the U.S. Calvary, and early lessen the "ladder effect" of low hanging ments in our neighborhood. teur Civil Emergency Communications settlers. The term “defesnible branches on our properties. System through the Sheriff's Depart- Russell and Margaret Ridge, space” was first published in All of us have been active in the Inver- ment. Russell is the "keeper" of a grass Lucille and Paul Phelps the 1980 Fire Safe Guides ness Ridge Association. There are many trimmer loaned out to association mem- Inverness Ridge Association for Residential Development in California. Insurance Companies In 1963 a report to the leg- STATE FARM islature stated, “...laws must work now, an increase in population options, including the possibility of not be initiated to require what FIRE & CASULATY COMPANY near wildlands, the drought we've expe- continuing to insure the property. was originally dictated by Steven Niccolai, n Marin, the combination of hillside rienced over the last few years, and les- common sense, logic and sons we learned from last year's wild- Commercial Underwriting Supervisor respect for the property Ihomes, tall trees, and lots of vegeta- • fires, have caused State Farm to reex- tion means the possi- rights of others.” The report Satur amine the way we underwrite homes in FIREMAN’S FUND bility of a devastating INSURANCE COMPANY went on to “...recommend fire is always present.