If you’re staying at home for the duration, it’s a great time to start some spring cleanup with an eye to being Firesmart! Here are a few tips to get you started.
1. Check your rain gutters. Since last fall, they may have gotten filled with leaves or evergreen needles. This is a great time to clean them out to get ready for our spring rains.
2. Finish raking leaves. We all put off raking up that last little bit of leaves around the house or garage or up next to the fence. Now that things have started to dry out, it’s a good time to finish that chore. You’ll be Firesmart AND getting debris away from the house will deter the awakening bugs from coming inside.
3. Watch for hoarding. We don’t mean TP or pasta, but those things like newspapers, cardboard boxes, leftover building materials, and used tires. Look at your “collections” and think about whether they fill a realistic need. If not, set them aside to take to recycling or, for building materials in good condition, donate to charity (Habitat for Humanity has ReStores in many Wyoming towns). If you think you will need them in the future, move the flammable items outside of the 30-foot zone around buildings or put them inside a closed Firesmart structure.
Bonus Tip. While you’re putting things in the garage or shed or barn or other outbuilding, check to see that those structures are weather tight. Look for broken windows and gaps around doors, including under garage doors. Be Ember Aware and recognize gaps in your structure that would allow embers to blow in during a wildfire.
We will have more tips as the weather warms, including suggestions for Firesmart plantings.
And remember, if you live in Washakie County and would like to get a Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) for your home or cabin, contact us. We will get back in touch to tentatively schedule a time to evaluate your property and draw up a plan customized for you. Click here for more information on WMPs.
