GLIDE, Ore. — A photo of dense brush under tall trees stood in stark contrast to the same site a month later, cleared and maintained to reduce wildfire risk. About 25 residents of the Watson Mountain area outside Roseburg gathered there to see the difference firsthand and learn about Firewise USA communities.
The workshop was led by Alicia Christiansen, an Oregon State University Extension Service forester and professor of practice in the College of Forestry, joined by Kyle Reed of the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Jessica Duarte, Douglas Forest Protective Association assistant unit forester.
Defensible space in three zones
Firewise USA, a program of the National Fire Prevention Association, encourages property owners to create defensible space by dividing land into three zones:
- Immediate zone (0–5 feet): Keep the area “lean, clean and green” with fire-resistant plants trimmed away from buildings. Remove leaves and needles, prune trees up 10 feet, mow lawns, and consider gravel or patios instead of mulch.
- Intermediate zone (5–30 feet): Focus on managing dense growth. Limb up trees, mow grass, remove invasive weeds and keep shrubs away from trees.
- Extended zone (30–100 feet): Continue thinning vegetation but leave some brush and downed trees for habitat and soil health.
The Extension publication Keeping Your Home and Property Safe from Wildfire features 35 pages of color photos and information, including more on zones as well as lists of fire-resistant plants and how to deal with invasive weeds. Wildfire embers can travel up to a mile, Christiansen warned, making it essential to keep roofs and gutters clean.
Neighbors working together
Since defensible space often overlaps with adjacent property, collaboration is key.
“It’s extremely important that neighbors work collaboratively with each other – and talk with each other – to reduce their shared risk,” Reed said.
Sisters Nancy and Jerianne Haag, who own 70 acres in the area, said they plan to work with neighbors to start a Firewise USA community. “We’ve learned so much and will put it to good use,” Jerianne said.
Support and certification
Firewise USA communities gain access to free support from local protective associations and the Oregon Department of Forestry. Steps include forming a board, completing a risk assessment and action plan, and hosting outreach events before applying for certification.
Organizing takes dedication, Christiansen said: “You need to have a sparkplug in the community who is dedicated to see the process through. It can take time; it’s not an overnight process.”
Learning from past fires
Participants Mike and Jennifer Jackson said they were motivated by the 2020 Archie Creek Fire.
“The Archie Creek fire brought home how vulnerable we are,” Mike said. “Trees and underbrush on our land could easily go up in flames. We want to try to prevent that.”
Christiansen said the response from residents was heartening. “It’s great when one landowner makes their space more fire resistant, but it’s more impactful when it’s done at the community level.”
Previously titled Douglas County residents learn about firewise communities from OSU Extension workshop
