Fire safety tips for lawns and gardens

Grow it Green: Fire safety tips for lawns and gardens

THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR TODAY’S GROW IT GREEN I’M JACQUELINE THOMAS AND TODAY WE ARE AT PAWTUCKAWAY STATE PARK. AND THE NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE PARKS ARE CELEBRATING THEIR 90TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. I’M TALKING WITH KATIE BOSMAN FROM THE FOREST PROTECTION BUREAU. AND I KNOW AS WE GET INTO THOSE COLDER MONTHS, WE’RE STARTING TO ENTER THAT SEASON WHERE FOLKS ARE PREPARING FIREWOOD, GETTING READY TO TURN ON THE WOOD STOVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. HOW IS HOW ARE WE ABLE TO REALLY STAY SAFE WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE THINGS? I KNOW FOLKS TEND TO LIKE TO PILE THE WOOD UP NEXT TO THE HOUSE SO THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO WALK SO FAR, BUT THAT CAN KIND OF BE DANGEROUS, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A FUEL LOADING ON THE HOUSE. AND THAT FUEL LOADING CAN CAUSE WILDFIRES AND BE A RISK TO YOUR HOME. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO RECOMMEND IS PUTTING YOUR FIREWOOD. OBVIOUSLY WE WANT IT TO STAY DRY. IT’S MUCH EASIER TO BURN DRY WOOD THAN IT IS WET. PUT IT IN A SHELTER THAT’S ACTUALLY SET BACK FROM THE HOUSE THAT WAY. YES, IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A WALK, BUT IF YOU BRING ENOUGH IN AT A TIME, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR TRIPS A LITTLE BIT EASIER. BUT THAT FUEL LOADING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A RISK TO YOUR HOME. SO WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT WILDFIRE ASSESSMENT AND COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS AND PREPAREDNESS, WE’RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT ASPECTS AS FAR AS FUELS, EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS PINE NEEDLES LIKE THIS, WE CALL THESE A LIGHT FLASHY FUELS, PINE NEEDLES, LEAF LITTER, THAT SORT OF THING. BECAUSE THIS CAN BURN VERY EASILY, VERY QUICKLY. AND ALL IT CAN TAKE IS A SIMPLE EMBER FROM A FIRE. SO EVEN FROM YOUR HOT ASHES, CLEANING OUT YOUR WOOD STOVE, HAVING THE HOT ASHES, DUMPING IT ON LITTER LIKE THIS, IT CAN TAKE VERY QUICKLY. IT CAN SPREAD VERY FAST. AND THAT’S WHAT WE SEE A LOT OF TIMES. LAST YEAR WE WERE LUCKY. HERE IN STATE, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME FIRES THAT WERE STARTED FROM HOT ASH DUMPING. SO THOSE FIRES, WHEN YOU CLEAN OUT YOUR WOOD STOVE, YOU HAVE THE HOT EMBERS. IF THOSE AREN’T OUT FULLY, YOU DUMP IT OUTSIDE, TAKES TO THE LIGHTER LITTERS AND THEN SPREADS VERY FAST. SO MAKING SURE THAT THAT SORT OF THING IS CLEANED UP. CLEANING YOUR GUTTERS, CLEANING YOUR ROOFS OFF, MAKING SURE THAT ALL THAT LITTER IS KIND OF TAKEN AWAY AS WE ALL KIND OF DO IN OUR FALL CLEANUP. WE HAVE THE LEAVES FALLING AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT’S BRUSHED BACK, PUT IN AN AREA THAT’S AWAY FROM THE HOME AND KEEPING THE HOME FIRE SAFE. ABSOLUTELY. AND I KNOW SOMETIMES THINGS CAN PILE UP ON THOSE ROOFS AND THOSE GUTTERS. SO REALLY GOOD REMINDER THERE. AS WE GET INTO THE FALL SEASON. BUT THANK YOU. GREAT TIPS AND WAY

Jacqueline Thomas talks with Forest Ranger Katie Baughman about keeping your home and land safe from potential wildfire dangers.