A3 • Friday, February 8, 2019 | Cannon Beach Gazette | CannonBeachGazette.com
Protecting the coast
from deadly wildfi res
Protect your
home ahead
of time, say
fi re offi cials
By DAVE FISHER
For Cannon Beach Gazette
Could it happen here on
the North Coast, a wildfi re
comparable to the Novem-
ber 2018 Camp Fire that,
when it was over, was the
deadliest and most destruc-
tive wildfi re in California
history?
The answer to that ques-
tion posed by fi re offi cials to
a standing-room-only crowd
of about 100 people gath-
ered at Pine Grove Com-
munity Center in Manza-
nita at the end of January
was, hypothetically speak-
ing, yes.
The similarities between
Cannon Beach, Manza-
nita and other north Ore-
gon coast communities and
the densely populated foot-
hill community of Para-
dise, California are striking:
homes and structures nestled
in wooded areas, uneven ter-
rain, long periods without
rainfall, windy conditions
at times, older populations,
and few escape routes.
Looking back at the
Camp Fire that engulfed
Paradise, Ed Wallmark, Til-
lamook District Protection
Unit Forester for the Ore-
gon Department of Forestry,
said he wasn’t there “to
scare anybody,” but the sta-
tistics he offered were sober-
ing nonetheless. The fi re
was among the deadliest in
U.S. history, said Wallmark,
causing at least 86 civil-
ian fatalities, most of which
incurred the fi rst few hours
as people tried to escape the
fi restorm. In all, the fi re cov-
ered nearly 240 square miles
and destroyed nearly 14,000
homes. At its height, 52,000
people evacuated the area
affected. However, unlike
a typical wildfi re, in Para-
dise the fi re sparked struc-
ture-to-structure ignitions.
While the discussion as to
what might happen locally
dealt with hypothetical sit-
uations, Perry Sherbaugh,
fi re chief for Nehalem Bay
Fire and Rescue, recounted
an incident that occurred in
July 2014, three days after
the Fourth of July celebra-
tion in Manzanita. Strong
afternoon winds rekindled
a beach fi re among the logs
blowing embers into a dry
vegetated hillside. The ensu-
ing wildfi re climbed the
bank and threatened ocean
view houses perched atop.
“The fi re,” said Sher-
baugh, “climbed uphill in
about a minute’s time and
was the result of a likely
beach fi re that hadn’t been
entirely extinguished.”
Fortunately, only four
homes were damaged, but
it could have been much
worse as, like Paradise, the
area affected is densely pop-
ulated. To make matters
worse, with only one escape
road at their disposal, those
uphill from the fi re would
likely have been trapped.
Summertime is particu-
larly worrisome to fi re offi -
Wall Street Forestry
presentation coming to
Tolovana Hall Feb. 8
Cannon Beach Gazette
“Wall Street Forestry
and The Climate Crisis:
Putting People Before
Profi ts,” a talk by Chuck
Willer of the Coast
Range
Association,
comes to Tolovana Hall,
3779 S. Hemlock, on Fri-
day, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m.
Willer’s
presenta-
tion will be the fi rst
full exploration of the
Coast Range Associ-
ation’s assessment of
Wall Street forestry in
light of the climate cri-
sis. Given the warnings
from the scientifi c com-
munity that society has
12 years to move into
a full carbon transi-
tion, Willer will address
what is likely warranted
for Oregon’s corporate
forests.
The
conclusions
drawn and recommen-
dations offered will be a
fi rst in Oregon’s evolv-
ing discussion of cli-
mate, forests and the
required economic tran-
sition we now face.
Nehalem Fire and Rescue
The aftermath of wildfi re near Manzanita in July 2014 shows the burnt trail the fi re left. Fire
offi cials say it could have been worse.
said Wallmark. “I’m not say-
ing you have to go out and
do right now, but it’s some-
thing to keep in mind, do the
little things as you can. Like
I said, I’m not here to scare
anyone, but we can be better
prepared.”
The January 29 presen-
tation in Manzanita was
organized by the Emer-
gency Volunteer Corps of
Nehalem Bay, which offers
these additional safety tips
for area residents — sign up
for reverse 9-1-1 or Nixle to
receive public safety alerts
immediately, keep a go bag
and emergency supplies in
your car and know of at least
two evacuation routes. In
addition, have a family plan
in place so separated family
members know how to pro-
ceed in an emergency.
Much more emergency
preparedness information
is available online at www.
Firewise.org, www.evcnb.
org, and www.wildfi rersg.
org. In addition, the Clat-
sop and Tillamook County
offi ces of the Oregon Depart-
ment of Forestry offer free
onsite home assessments
as to how homeowners can
reduce wildfi re risks. In
Clatsop County, Department
of Forestry can be reached at
503-325-5451; in Tillamook
County, 503-842-2545.
Dave Fisher
Ed Wallmark of the Oregon Department of Forestry along
with Chris Beswick and Perry Sherbaugh of Nehalem Bay Fire
and Rescue discuss measures homeowners can take to protect
their homes should a wildfi re threaten them.
cials as conditions are typ-
ically dry during what is
the height of tourist sea-
son. “High public use areas
increase the risk of fi res,”
Sherbaugh noted.
Added Wallmark, “Of the
1,115 wildfi res in Oregon
in 2018, 896 were human
caused while 219 were
caused by lightning. Light-
ning-caused fi res burned
more acres, but the gap
between lightning-caused
fi res and those attributed to
humans is closing.”
While the scale of the
California fi res is probably
much larger than would be
experienced here, the condi-
tions that helped create the
widespread devastation in
California still exist, espe-
cially in communities like
Manzanita, Cannon Beach,
Arch Cape and Gearhart
where urban homes inter-
face with natural wooded
areas. According to Wall-
mark, “Homeowners who
live in such areas can make a
big difference to reduce the
risk of their home burning
with pre-fi re activities. The
biggest thing is by mitigat-
ing fuels close to structures.”
To that end, the creation
of defensible space around
one’s home and “harden-
ing” the structure itself is
most important. Of the three
zones of defensible space,
Zone 1, beginning from the
framed edge of the house, is
most important. If you have
grass, keep it cut short or,
better yet, replace with dec-
orative rock or some other
infl ammable cover; remove
shrubs next to exterior walls;
keep gutters free of needles
and debris; eliminate tight
places where embers could
potentially land; don’t store
fi rewood or other fl ammable
materials next to the house,
garage or carports, and even
underneath decks. As far as
hardening the house, metal,
clay or cement tile roofs
offer the best protection.
Fire resistant siding helps
too.
“These are things you can
do over time that will help,”
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Daniel Elliott Benefit
Thank You!
Wow what an incredible turnout! Words can’t
express how grateful Dan and I are for everyone who
attended the benefit and made a donation. Your kind
words and generosity have truly helped during this
difficult time. We are so fortunate to live in such a
supportive community.
Dan and I would like to thank all the local
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