Welcome to Oregon’s expected 2024 Tinder Season. What was formerly “unusual weather” or “unprecedented fire events” are now part of our expectations for summer. Our wonderful Portland greenspaces depend upon the winter rains, which we prepare for with rain jackets and house gutters. These same greenspaces’ vulnerability to Urban Wildland Fires requires our preparation to mitigate fire damage to our homes and surroundings.
This series builds upon our "Tips of the Week" series done in [2023], and introduces others, including motivations to get busy NOW to prepare our homes for wildfires.
The “Twofer” sections of these Home Protection articles highlight additional reasons (eg financial, fun, aesthetic) to take these home protection steps for wildfire preparedness.
Here is the series so far:
Articles appear newest-first, older as you scroll down — #1 is at the bottom.
Thank You for reading. Suggestions welcome! Send to firewise at collinsview.org
Wildfires can make summer travel unpredictable. For example, the Durkee Fire in Baker and Malheur counties has caused intermittent closures of Interstate 84 in eastern Oregon.
Our TIP: Be prepared to encounter a route change. Take along an emergency kit, including masks. If staying home, prepare for possible outages. The article below contains a whole range of tips:
→ Prepare for Wildfires on the Road and Power Outages at Home [Oregon Capital Chronicle]
Briefly, if Traveling:
A REQUIREMENT, from Oregon Public Broadcasting First Look on July 30th: People are also reminded that anyone traveling on state forestlands is required to carry a shovel and a gallon of water or fire extinguisher in their vehicle. “July and August see the most visitors to our state forests”, said Joe Offer, ODF’s recreation program manager. “With that increase of visitors is also an increase in wildfire danger since 70% of wildfires are human caused.” — Julia Boboc reporting. (Link in references)
STAY OFF TRAILS THAT ARE CLOSED! The Oregonian on Aug 1 says people are ignoring trail closure signs. Local Emergency Managers explain that when people hike, bike, and drive around closed trails this invariably results in more Search & Rescue missions. They really do not need those calls on top of firefighting and evacuations! Tell friends who may be venturing out, looking to "cool down".
If staying home:
Whether Staying Home or Traveling, you should:
Read the above Oregon Capital Chronicle article for more advice. Follow links there for More Information.
One last suggestion: If you are staying home — consider clearing dry vegetation away from your house, and follow our other Home Protection Tips!
Interactive Wildfire tracker --This map shows active fires larger than 50 acres in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho and Montana or other fires of interest. It is updated every 15 minutes. [LINK]
OPB Report — Oregon fires close dozens of campgrounds and trails. This report contains lists of closures. [LINK]
TripCheck.com [LINK]
"Smoke From a Distant Fire" was a 1977 hit by the Sanford-Townsend Band. Smoke From a Distant Fire (2024) could be quite dangerous.
This just came in from Multnomah County:
... As we gear up for wildfire season in the Pacific Northwest, let's prepare ourselves by understanding the dangers of smoke and the sources that contribute to it. Together, we can help our communities be #SmokeReady.
Our TIP: Plan for a clean air room at home to protect from wildfire smoke. Purchase or make an air cleaner. (a future tip!)
This just came in from OPB, on July 8th:
... It is the time of year again when Oregonians across the state should be prepared for poor air quality, evacuations, and the reality that large and sometimes catastrophic wildfires are now a part of living in the West...
...so read [How to prepare for wildfire smoke]
The article tells us:
Check it out, please!
Learn more at: [Smoke and Fire LINK]
Thanks to Multnomah County for the above Tip!
As wildfires rage, what is the smoke doing to our health and bodies?
What wildfire smoke does to our bodies… is even worse [than] … the fossil fuel pollution that we’re always breathing, … it’s not just respiratory, it’s playing out in other parts of our body as well.
—
The Guardian, US News, July 31, 2024.
[LINK]
Thanks to M. Read for the great Guardian article!
SMOKE is dangerous.
Remember Portland in September 2020’s “Worst air quality in the world”?? That dire Air Quality Index rating was due to wildland fires not even in Portland.
The following graphic shows significant of risk north of Portland, so smoke should be assumed to be coming our way. See link to article on KREM-TV web site (Spokane), below.
We can do something NOW to protect ourselves against the health hazards of breathing smoke. N95 masks, are certified to filter out 95% of harmful particulate matter. You’ll need them when you go outside, or if you have to evacuate. Keep extras on hand.
In case one person stays behind or comes back after a fire to inspect damages, consider having a high grade (full face) respirator on hand. A range of filters are typically available depending on the hazard; particulate-only or particulate + chemicals - i.e. volatile compounds. Here is a good survey of full face respirators: [LINK]
Here are other masks we are familiar with. Check labels on masks and respirators to make sure they are rated for smoke-sized particles and toxic volatile vapors.
What is your experience with these 3M products? Respond to firewise at collinsview.org
What is your experience with this RANKSING product? Respond to firewise at collinsview.org
The EnvoMask is versatile. It uses easily-replaceable N95 filters. EnvoMask can be worn for long periods of time, eg, airplane flight. It can operate either as a respirator for working in dusty dirty environment (not filtering exhaled air), or as a two-way filter for COVID-like environments. Smoke rating needs Research.
An EnvoMask is over $100, and the N95 filters are $x. Check it out.
EnvoMask website [LINK]
This is an easy one. If you have a good quality mask, you can use it working in the yard or sweeping the street — OR, wear in your fiberglass-insulated attic, or under the house in that nasty crawlspace.
Thanks to Gene Lynard for calling these two articles to our attention.
NYT Wirecutter issue: Tools to prepare for wildfire [LINK].
Northwest braces for active wildfire season amid lingering El Niño influence [KREM]. See Summer 2024 Wildfire Danger map.. for cause to worry about smoke drifting our way.
3M Rugged Comfort Quick Latch Half Facepiece Reusable Respirator (JM) [Amazon]
Series note: If you have central air conditioning, update the filters in your HVAC system to HEPA. If you don't have central air conditioning - consider getting a good air purifier for selected rooms in your home. (This will be covered in Tip #5.)
Remember the January ice storms and the damage to roofs and structures that fallen limbs did? Remember the recent summers’ smoke and wildfire-damages?
Though this branch was only six inches in diameter, it fell with enough force to shove an entire woodpile a foot forward. Imaging what that would do to your roof.
Preparing your home against wildfire’s spread is also protecting your home against ice and wind events causing dangerous and expensive damage to your property. Here is what you should do, by "Zone":
NOW is the time to do this maintenance to reduce your home vulnerability in our tinder season’s wildland fires and wind events, AND reduce the risk of damage during winter’s unruly storms.
You get a 'TwoFer' - trimming the overhanging foliage and branches helps protect your home from storm and wind damage AND helps harden it against wildfires.
Thanks to a Collins View Firewise Community member for this tip.
Mulch under plantings and against the house is attractive and conserves soil moisture.
AIRBORNE EMBERS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF HOME LOSS DURING A WILDFIRE. They can travel up to three miles ahead of the main flame front. It is critical to make the area within 5 feet of the house a defensible space. Home Ignition Zones are: Immediate zone (0 to 5 feet) and Intermediate zone (5 to 30 feet). This includes eliminating the low vegetation ladder fuels underneath plantings.
ORGANIC MULCHES (BARK) WILL IGNITE AND BECOME AIRBORNE. They should not be used adjacent to structures or underneath decks.
INORGANIC MATERIALS SUCH AS ROCKS OR GRAVEL OFFER SUPERIOR FIRE RESISTANCE. - Rocks don't blow around!
RIVER ROCK OR GRAVEL IS A FIREBREAK when placed against the foundation of your house and underneath plantings. If organic matter accumulates on the rocks, it's easy enough to remove with an electric leaf blower or soft broom.
ROCK MULCH UNDER PLANTINGS WILL REDUCE WATERING NEEDS (and reduce your summer water bill)
FUN AND CREATIVITY WITH LAND ART — If Firewise Preparedness tasks and home maintenance are not on your to do list right now, perhaps easy and humorous Land Art creations will motivate you.
For really over the top inspirations, see Jon Foreman's rock art on Instagram [@sculpttheworld]
Sign up NOW to have your property assessed by Portland Fire & Rescue personnel for fire hazards and suggested mitigation. Use this direct link to the [Sign-Up Form]!
Thanks to Collins View Firewise Community members for these tips.
Here is an example of a foundation vent that originally had ¼ grid — small enough to keep critters out, but large enough to allow fire sparks to enter. The owner added finer screening, held in place with bent roofing nails. Whatever works! Let's be safe, not sorry.
Thanks to a Marshal Park Firewise Community member for this tip.
April 21, 2024 - Stefan Myers, Public Affairs Officer of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, told KOIN 6 News that TVF&R has already responded to “three brush fires, nine bark dust fires and a handful of small debris piles issues. The department dealt with 55 incidents that needed a wildland fire response last year… As soon as it starts to dry out, as soon as the sun comes out, we have potential for fire and fuels… winds kick up things, dry out and all of a sudden that free pile becomes a brush fire.”
“Now is the time to get your homes ready for wildfire season”, Myers said.
“Start leaning up trees, cutting grasses down and reducing fuels in and around your home, and thinking about buffer zones that you can make,” he said. “It’s going to be embers, it’s going to be those things that get into debris piles that get into stacked wood that gets into uncut grasses and bushes and flammable fuels near your home that can actually get your home on fire.”
These are under development...