With 642 fires having burned 229,409 acres in 鶹ӳ so far this year, and wildfires continuing to threaten homes and lives across the West, 鶹ӳ Extension’s Living With Fire Program continues its virtual workshop series, “Five Ways to Prepare Your Family and Property for Wildfire.”
Next week’s session, “Be Red Cross Ready,” is 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Sept. 15, on Zoom. Jill Hemenway, disaster program manager with the Northern 鶹ӳ Chapter of the American Red Cross, will provide tips on what to pack in an evacuation “go bag,” which includes many items that residents can have pre-packed in case they need to evacuate due to a wildfire.
“When faced with an evacuation, most people are unable to think clearly and end up scrambling to grab unnecessary items, therefore wasting precious time,” said Jamie Roice-Gomes. Living With Fire Program manager. “This workshop will help people to identify and pack up some things now, to help them evacuate quickly and safely when asked.”
After next week’s session, the workshop series will continue through the rest of September, which is National Preparedness Month, with workshops on Zoom from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Tuesday. Other session topics include:
- 22: Five Steps to Creating Effective Defensible Space, presented by Megan Kay and Roice-Gomes, both with Extension’s Living With Fire Program.
- 29: Retrofitting Your Home to Increase Wildfire Survival, presented by Christina Restaino, Extension natural resources specialist with the Living With Fire Program.
The series is part of the Living With Fire Program’s ongoing efforts to provide research-based information on how to live more safely in high wildfire-hazard environments, ultimately helping to save lives, property and homes. Since its inception in 1997, the program has received numerous regional and national awards, and its information has been used in 26 states and 25 countries.
“It’s easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about all the different ways to prepare for wildfire,” Restaino said. “This workshop series aims to help residents understand simple steps they can take to get their family, home and property more prepared for wildfire.”
