Wildland fire interface focuses on wildfire prevention

The Charlotte fire left acres of ground scorched and 66 homes burned as it spread through Pocatello four years ago.

The Pocatello Fire Department said one reason this huge fire was so tough to fight was because it spread so rapidly.

Fires can jump quickly from home to home if people aren’t careful about their landscaping.

With the fire season underway, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior released a statement encouraging people to educate themselves in the Wildland-Urban Interface initiative. This brings awareness to fire prevention in urban areas that sit close to wild lands.

Kim Stouse, community education specialist for the fire department, said one of the best things people can do is build a defensible space around their homes. She said this helps not only the homes, but also firefighters because it can slow the spread of the fire.

Stouse also said the department tries to educate people about the dangers of leaving things close to a house that could catch fire.

“We always encourage people that about five feet out, if they can clear any debris they may have,” Stouse said. “Leaves that are laying around the trees, up in the gutters, making sure if they have trees that are close to the house that they limb them up.”

Stouse said one common misunderstanding people have with their landscaping is they think they have to get rid of all their trees to be safe from a fire. Stouse said that’s not the case. They just need to keep them trimmed and be careful of how close together they are. The farther apart trees are, the harder it is for a fire to bounce from tree to tree. Stouse said if trees aren’t kept well-trimmed and are close to the house, the embers could go from the tree to the house in a wildfire.

Stouse said to also be mindful of other potential hazards near homes. She gave a few other suggestions of dangerous things people keep to close their home.

“Having woodpiles up against your home or gasoline. Things like that, that are flammable and would catch embers should a wildfire start in the area,” she said. “Those are what you have to be careful of.”

Stouse recommends things like a rock wall around the house. She said using rock around shrubs and bushes, rather than bark or wood chips, can be a smarter alternative.

And some other things to consider in high-risk areas?

“Don’t throw out cigarette butts,” Stouse said. “You know, if you’re driving a vehicle and if it can get hot, be careful when you’re going over tall grasses.”

She said it’s important to bring awareness to the community and that each preventative step can make a difference.

“We’re starting to see more and more wildfires across the nation each and every year and we all need to take our part to reduce that,” Stouse said.

She said anyone who would like the fire department to come out and do a home assessment to help point out any potential fire hazards can just call the fire department at 208-234-6201.

Stouse said she also encourages people who may see any smoke to call and report it right away. The faster the fire department can respond, the better chance they have to fight it.