Wildfire Threat

Defensible Space

Firewise

Wildfire Protection

Much of central Texas has long been viewed by many experts as a wildfire waiting to happen. A history of fire suppression has build vast amounts of combustible brush in the understory. Areas on the rural-urban boundary are particularly at risk. A recent study completed by the City of Austin (see: Austin Wildfire) only reiterated this issue for west Austin. Fortunately, we have been spared a catastrophic fire in recent history.

Natural Texas can help you take some simple and practical steps that can help protect you and your property should a wildfire occur. In addition to his certification as an ISA Arborist, Carl Brockman is also trained in wildland firefighting and prescribed burn management. Carl can assess not only the level of fire threat to your property but help you mediate these threats by developing a more fire safe landscape, removing or replacing plants if necessary, ensuring proper access for fire fighting equipment if ever needed, and establishing a long term maintenance plan for protecting your property.

Defensible Space has become the term used to describe the area surrounding a home which is maintained for the protection of the house in the case of an approaching fire. Such space is generally created through proper access for emergency vehicles and selection, location, and maintenance of plants and trees in the vicinity of your house. Having Defensible Space does necessarily require the sacrifice of the landscape you enjoy.

Firewise is a federal program to properly inform and prepare citizens for wildfires. Information is supplied and approved by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, a consortium of wildland fire agencies that includes the USDA-Forest Service, the Department of Interior, the National Association of State Foresters, the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection Association. For more information, see the links below.

Firewise: www.Firewise.org
U.S. Fire Administration (USFA): http://www.usfa.fema.gov/
National Fire Protection Administration (NFPA): http://www.nfpa.org/Education/index.asp

How Safe Is Your Picket Fence?
Fire Hazard Assessment in the Wildland/Urban Interface by the National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Program Education for homeowners and developers about the wildfire problem and simple steps to take to make homes built in the wildland safer and more likely to survive a wildfire.
http://www.firewise.org/pubs/WHAM/nfpa/index.html

Living in Wildfire Hazard Areas by the City of Boulder, CO
10 steps to defensible space, planning information, and survival tips.
http://www.ci.boulder.co.us/fire/wildfire/safehomepresfire.htm

Wildfire
by the American Red Cross
Steps to protect your family, home, and property from wildfire.
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/readywildfire.html

Is Your Home Protected From Wildfire Disaster? (PDF format)
by the Institute for Business & Home Safety
Guide to help you find out why your home is at risk, and how you can reduce the risk to your home and property. (You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view) http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/readywildfire.html