PROTECTING YOUR HOME DURING WILDFIRE SEASON

By Katrina Huffstutler

A volunteer fire chief offers safety suggestions
based on his experience fighting wildfires.

Glenn Knutson Jr. hails from the small southern Oklahoma town of Loco, about 17 miles east of Comanche. Chief of the Loco Volunteer Fire Department and a former victim of wildfire himself, he knows a thing or 2 about how devastating fire can be to land and homeowners. I visited with him in October to solicit tips for the upcoming wildfire season. He offered practical guidelines to keep your home safe before and during a wildfire.

Tip #1: Keep it tidy
Knutson says it is important to keep your grass mowed short — not only around your house, but around your shops, outbuildings and barns, too.

The same goes for overgrown limbs and junk, Knutson says, explaining how important it is to be able to drive their fire truck around the entire structure.

"We can't get very far away from our trucks," he explains. "A lot of times when we are trying to save a structure, the smoke gets so thick we can't see. So we don't like to leave and get too far away where we can get disoriented and not make it back."

He says during a big wildfire when several homes are in danger and firefighters have to make difficult choices, having yours firefighter-ready could give it the edge.

"A lot of times we have to decide on the spur of the moment whether or not we can save this
house. If we drive up and there are 5 junk lawnmowers, a broken down 1982 Camaro and a bunch of stuff piled up in the yard, we won't even go in.

"We're not going to risk running over a car and blowing a tire or getting stuck [and not being able to do the most good]. We don't ever want to leave a house and let it burn, but if they haven't protected their house in that way, there is nothing we can do to help them.

"It's really tough, but sometimes we can't save everything. If we've only got 1 crew and 3 burning houses, sometimes we'll have to choose to go to the neighbor's house if it's the one we can save," Knutson says.

Tip#2: Water your yard
Water restrictions notwithstanding, he says watering your yard can go a long way, since green grass isn't nearly as flammable as dead vegetation.

But even if you can't or don't maintain a green lawn, water can help even after the fact.

"If the wildfires are close and you're about to leave, go ahead and turn a water sprinkler on," Knutson says. "Every little bit helps when it comes to keeping the fire away from your house."

Tip #3: Wet down your deck
The lawn isn't the only thing that should be watered when fire threatens your area. Have a wooden deck around your house? Knutson advises turning a sprinkler on it before evacuating. And, in this case, he isn't speaking as a firefighter — he knows firsthand how flammable wooden decks are.

Five or 6 years ago, a wildfire burned all around his house, starting with his wooden deck.

In most cases, Knutson says, if a deck catches fire, the house will also catch on fire if help doesn't arrive immediately.

"Luckily, I came along in time to put the fire out, but it had burned enough that I had to tear the entire west wall out of my house," he says.

Tip #4: Leave when told
Knutson says when there's a wildfire nearby, it's imperative to heed any official warning to leave your property.

"If a deputy comes by and asks you to leave, then leave," he says. "Not only will you be safer, but it will also help us do our job."

He recalls instances where instead of evacuating, the homeowners were chasing their dogs around or raking the yard or just sitting there saying, "I'm not leaving." It's understandably distracting for the firefighters.

"Instead of doing our best to fight the fire, all of a sudden we are worried about their well-being and making sure they don't get hurt or suffer smoke inhalation. We then get tied up trying to help them and may not be able to save their home," Knutson explains.

To make a quicker getaway, Knutson advises storing your most valuable items or important documents together and somewhere easy to grab on your way out.

"Have the things you want to take with you already boxed up. Sometimes you don't have a lot of warning, so if you could just grab 1 briefcase or suitcase or whatever, that always works out well," he says.

Tip #5: Know how to get out
Once you've grabbed your valuables and loaded up, it's important to have a destination — or at least a direction — in mind, and not drive aimlessly in a panic.

"As with any emergency situation," Knutson says, "you should know the best route out."

He says when it comes to wildfire, that's generally to the east.

"Most times, fires are going to come from the south, west or north. Rarely does a fire come from the east," Knutson says, explaining that east winds usually have humidity behind them.

"If you leave out and try to go west, a lot of times you'll be driving into the smoke and fires," he says.

He adds if you're unsure where to go or if some roads may be closed, you can always contact your local sheriff's department or call the fire department's non-emergency number.

Tip #6: Landscape with fire in mind
If you're building a new home, relandscaping an existing home or adding plant life around your barn or shop, you might want to consider more than aesthetics if you live in a wildfire-prone region.

Knutson says he would avoid planting taller shrubs right against your structure on the south and west sides. He says it's also a good idea to keep shrubs from growing into your overhangs, since that can cause fire to engulf the attic and roof quickly. "A [fire like] that takes a lot of manpower and a lot of time to put out, and can get out of control very quickly," he says.

(For more information on selecting firewise landscaping, visit Texasfirewise.org.)

Tip No. 7: Store firewood wisely
Have a wood-burning fireplace in your home? While convenience may dictate storing the wood on the back porch or as close to the house as possible, that may not always be wise.

"During rainy winters, I wouldn't worry about it," Knutson says. "But if we're looking at continuing this drought and being in another tough fire season, I would recommend moving it farther from the house.

Tip No. 8: Respect the burn bans
It seems like a no-brainer, but just following the law could prevent fire from endangering your home and surrounding areas.

"Respect the burn bans," Knutson says. "Check for burn bans before you burn. You'd be surprised at how many trash barrels we've had to put out for people, even lately."

He adds that it just takes a minute to call the sheriff's office or the non-emergency line to the fire department, but it could save you hefty fine and possible property damage.

Tip No. 9: See a fire? Call it in!
The next time you're driving down the road and see smoke, don't assume help is already on the way.

"Anytime you see smoke, call it in immediately," Knutson says, adding that during a drought like this, it can be hard to distinguish between smoke and dust.

"It happens to me, too," he says. "About 2 weeks ago, I thought I saw a fire about a mile from our house."

He called it in, drove to the fire station and headed out with the crew. It turned out to be a big dust devil.

"It was so big, it looked exactly like smoke. But the quicker something like that is called in, the better chance we'll get it under control if it is indeed a fire," Knutson says.

He says they get a lot of false calls from concerned citizens, but he doesn't mind. That means they are being aware and looking out for fire.

"I don't ever mind going out on a false alarm," he says. "That means there's not a fire."

Want more information on wildfire safety? Visit these helpful websites: usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/wildfire txforestservice.tamu.edu forestry.ok.gov