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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (March 3, 2010)
Page 8 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, March 3, 2010 Various programs provide area fire prevention assistance It is difficult to think about fire season when it’s raining, but home owners might want to start lopping dead tree branches after view- ing Jack Cohen’s video, Pro- tecting Your Home from Wildfire. The video is available online at www.fs.fed.us/rm/ publications/titles/videos/ protecting.html. “Most of the houses I’ve examined very likely ignited from small spot-ignitions on or adjacent to the home, not from the big crown fire flames,” said Cohen. “That means a home owner can easily perform fuel reductions that can potentially save their homes.” Added Aaron Nauth, Lomakatsi Restoration Pro- ject (LRP) program coordina- tor. “It is an overwhelming responsibility for rural prop- erty owners to take on the hard work of selectively re- moving overcrowded trees and shrubs. “If left untended, it can pose a fire risk not only for land owners, but for the entire community and adjacent land,” he said. With a few months be- tween now and fire season, home owners are encouraged to take advantage of National Fire Plan (NFP) funding to help create a safe community. A coordinated effort for concentrated community fire planning has been developed as a continuing partnership involving LRP, Illinois Val- ley Fire District (IVFD), Ore- gon Dept. of Forestry (ODF), Illinois Valley Community Development Organization (IVCDO), and the Bureau of Land Management. IVCDO Director Robert Schumacher has administered four NFP grants, and has treated nearly 1,200 acres since 1994. He currently is overseeing a county-wide special needs grant plus the South I.V. Fire Grant. There is no cost to home owners who qualify for spe- cial needs grants. A home owner must qualify on two counts: low income (defined as living below 200 percent of the federal poverty level), and must be identified as hav- ing “special needs.” Those who cannot take care of themselves in an emer- gency due to physical or men- tal issues, as well as most citi- zens 60 and older will qualify, said Schumacher. He can be phoned at 541-592-4440. The South I.V. Fire Grant focuses on defensible space around homes and driveways in a specific zone south of Rockydale Road to the California bor- der. Kamron Ismaili, IVFD prevention director, will come to locations and set up a prescription of tasks neces- sary to provide Firewise clearance. Said Ismaili, “Our goal is lean, clean and green for at least 30 feet from houses. Eliminate flammable material within 10 feet of houses. Re- move pine needles from gut- ters and the roof. “Staple metal window screening over any gaps and vents. Firewood should be stacked at least 30 feet from the home. Reduce or eliminate flammable materials within 100 feet of houses, and prune lower limbs of trees at least 8 feet above the ground. If you can walk around it and under it, you’re pretty much there.” Lomakatsi is the Hopi word for “life in balance,” and that is the LRP goal, which will implement 225 acres of fuels reduction and forest restoration treatments in strategically selected loca- tions around the Takilma community area with funding from the National Fire Plan. This project aims to in- crease community wildfire Accounting safety, and will take place on more than 20 properties, that will be chosen due to the se- verity of their forest fuel loads and neighborhood loca- tions.” LRP is scheduling meetings with private land- owners to evaluate their properties to see if they qualify for the program. Once a private landowner is accepted into the program and an agreement is reached, LRP forestry tech- nicians will perform an as- sessment to develop fuels reduction plans. Detailed ecologically- based prescriptions will be developed by LRP and the landowner that will meet the fuels reduction objectives while improving the diver- sity and health of the forest. The focus for this project is neighborhood-wide treat- ments to create fire manage- ment zones for community wildfire protection. Locations to be emphasized are along ridge tops that divide sub- watersheds, on slopes above high ignition sources such as driveways that serve as entry/ exit locations for residents and firefighters, and along secondary logging roads that will serve as fuel breaks. These fuel reduction activities will create safer and more effective anchor points for fire suppression efforts in the event of a wildfire, as well as contributing to the overall forest health of a functioning ecosystem. Highly trained LRP for- estry crews will begin the actual on-the-ground work in fall 2010. Contact Aaron Nauth through Lomakatsi at 541-488-0208 or e-mail info@lomakatsi.org. Land owners not located in the zones covered by these grants may still qualify for ODF countywide assistance. South I.V. and Lomaka- tsi are share-of-cost pro- grams, but under the South I.V. grant the work can be done by home owners or sub- contracted. Lomakatsi con- tractors do the work under their program. While the South I.V. grant is more concerned with defensible space around Disaster preparedness topic of Feb. 23 town hall By SCOTT JORGENSEN IVN Staff Writer The S.W. Oregon re- gion is long overdue for a major earthquake, and resi- dents should begin prepar- ing for it immediately, be- lieves Harry Smedes, an adjunct geology professor at Southern Oregon University in Ashland. Smedes was the main speaker at a town hall meet- ing on disaster preparedness on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at Anne G. Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass. Approximately 40 people attended. The recent earthquake that struck Haiti was made much worse by poor build- ing practices on the island, Smedes said, including the placing structures on hill- sides. There is a commonal- ity in preparing for all disas- ters, Smedes said, whether natural or manmade. In April 2008, officials throughout Oregon began planning a “Cascadia Peril” event, which involved emer- gency responses among gov- Building Trades ernment agencies at all levels. The mock drill was held one year later. However, Smedes cau- tioned that in the event of a major catastrophe, it would be detrimental to rely solely on those agencies for help. “Don’t count on them. They’re going to be some- where else,” Smedes said. “You’re on your own.” Families should make a plan to follow in case of emergency, and rehearse it at least twice per year, Smedes said. They also should make a list of their needs, he said, and should consider alternate sources for heat and water. Needed items include a 72-hour survival kit, as well as a “grab-and-go kit” for imme- diate evacuation, Smedes said. That should include first aid items, and food and water, a list of contact people and in- surance policies. Major earthquakes typi- cally occur around every 300 to 350 years, Smedes said. He added that the last big earth- Building Trades (cont.) 541-479-3625 541-592-6529 (regular office) (home/office) “We Build For You” CUSTOM HOMES ▪ REMODELS ▪ ADDITIONS Handyman Work Remodel, Repair, Painting, Decks & More CCB # 178983 Lic. #133801 Bonded ▪ Insured (541) 592 - 6649 (541) 659 - 4346 11062 Takilma Rd. Cave Junction, OR 97523 (5 4 1 ) 5 9 2 -4 4 8 5 CCB# 9 3 1 7 3 M ik e M e idinge r Fre e Est im a t e s Cust om m a de a t your sit e Phone J e ff (5 4 1 ) 5 9 7 - 4 8 2 7 Health & Well-Being Catering Advocacy Services Founda t ions * Sla bs * Cust om Work M a nufa c t ure d H om e runne rs a nd st e m w a lls Gutter Systems CCB # 4 6 6 5 4 (541) 592-6364 PO Box 972 Cave Junction, OR 97523 said. But keeping warm should be a more pressing concern, he added, as it takes only a few hours for hypo- thermia to set in. “The first concern isn’t necessarily food,” Kiltz said. Fire is especially impor- tant, Kiltz said, as heat can be used to cook and make char- coal to help purify water. With a video he demonstrated how inserting steel wool into a flashlight cap can be used to start a fire. To prepare for an emer- gency, Kiltz said, people should have a pack with emergency equipment, tools, a water filter, ax, rain gear, warm clothes, a whistle, flashlight and blankets. “You need to have those beforehand,” he said. Grants Pass resident Eric Schaafsma discussed how the Neighborhood Watch pro- gram can be utilized to help prepare for the worst. “We need to take care of each other,” Schaafsma said. “You can’t survive on your own.” quake to strike the S.W. Ore- gon region occurred in Janu- ary 1700, approximately 310 years ago. “We’re in the window,” Smedes said. “It’s not a mat- ter of if, it’s a matter of when.” Smedes predicted that a major earthquake would cause the collapse of older brick buildings; aftershocks would be felt for days and Interstate 5 would be closed. “The fact is, a lot of peo- ple will be killed,” he said. Hal Kiltz, who was billed as an expert outdoorsman, also addressed the crowd. Kiltz said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other govern- ment entities already are pre- paring for a major earthquake in this area. Supplies will be difficult to obtain after a disaster, Kiltz said, and it will take weeks before more are delivered to S.W. Oregon. Humans can survive three days without water and a month without food, Kiltz Don Smith Constr uction Illinois Valley appointments available. Off season hours by appointment. houses, Lomakatsi focuses on landscape clearance on larger acreage. Each program covers a different territory, and fills a different niche, but they are all pieces of a puzzle toward a common goal of a fire-safe community. These grants have lim- ited funds, and are one-time deals, meant to give home- owners a jump-start on clear- ing the property, and to dem- onstrate what a Firewise site should look like. After that, it is up to homeowners to main- tain their property. Land owners interested in NFP grants should contact Ismaili at 541-592-2225 to see which program would best suit their location and ~ Zina Booth needs. JUST DESSERTS By Jessica 541-597-8564 541-659-2380 Weddings, Birthdays and Special Occasions Free estimates Building Contractor New Homes • Remodeling • Room Additions Appliances Clothing & Gifts Licensed—Bonded—Insured Tina Haemmerlein Licensed Massage Therapist, OBMT #9280 541.592.6190 Phone: (541) 592-2904 CCB # 10904 29429 Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523 Brandy’s Boutique & Gifts massagetherapy@cavenet.com www.poweroftouch.weebly.com Lots of unique gifts for Everyone T ONY ’ S A PPLIANCES 234 N. Redwood Hwy. 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