By Bill Trimarco
We started this spring with very dry and windy conditions here. In mid-May, the Plumtaw Fire went from a small start to more than 700 acres in less than two days.
Thanks to the efforts of firefighters in the air and on the ground, the fire was steered away from a vulnerable subdivision and was stopped by a combination of weather and back- burning operations to remove fuel in the path of the fire.
The firefighters were able to successfully back-burn in an area that had been recently mitigated to protect the watershed that provides the bulk of Pagosa’s water supply. After that fire, the weather pattern changed and we starting getting frequent rain storms that transformed dry brown fields into lush meadows. Now that fall is here, those tall grasses are starting to season and turn yellow. Even if we have a good winter, those dead grass stems will still be there in the spring. As things start to dry out next spring, it will be wildfire season again, with plenty of dead grass to spread that fire.
There is no way of predicting how many fires we will have, or whether or not one will directly impact our community, but we do have a responsibility to ourselves, our families and our neighbors to make preparations for the inevitable. Please don’t assume that it can’t happen here just because it has not happened recently. Wildfire is a serious threat to almost every home in our county. Ignoring that fact will never make it go away. Understanding what the threat is can help us prepare for it.
Most of our local forests have not seen a significant wildfire for more than 140 years. That is a lot of time for unchecked growth of potential fuel. Without fire to thin the trees and underbrush, that excessive growth is so close together and reaching from the ground to the tree crowns that huge fires have become the norm.
A lot of our residents here feel very safe because their homes are nowhere near the forest. Unfortunately, that may not make a difference. Most of the homes lost to wildfire are never directly touched by the flames. Most of the structure loss is caused by the blizzard of embers that blow ahead of the fire, starting spot fires outside of the area that is burning. Those embers can travel over a mile. All it takes is one ember landing on some kindling and you have a new fire start. Usually, you will see hundreds of embers swirling ahead of the fire. If those embers enter your house or find some kindling on or near your house, there is a good chance that your house will catch fire, too.
For those of you who don’t live here full time, fall cleanup is especially important. Fire season has been showing up earlier each year. Any threats to your home that aren’t taken care of before winter will still be there come spring.
Wildfires might start before you get back in the spring to do your cleanup.
Bill Trimarco writes for Wildfire Adapted Partnership.