By Fiona de Young, Community Relations Manager
Is your home wildfire ready? The Rincon Valley Fire District wants to make sure. RVFD was recently awarded a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety grant to implement our first-ever Wildfire Risk Reduction Program. We are launching a public outreach campaign to help residents understand simple ways to reduce wildfire hazards.
As part of this program, we will be meeting with homeowners in our most high-risk areas to perform free home assessments. “We will meet with residents at their home to discuss their property’s risk level, and steps they can take to improve their home’s chance of surviving a wildfire, such as creating a defensible space,” said Captain Asa Pallette.
A defensible space (pictured) creates a safe zone around a home structure that is free from debris, flammable materials such as shrubs, propane, or wood piles, and can also create a safe space for firefighters defending your home:
Zone 1: 0-30 feet from buildings
Trim or prune shrubs/vegetation to a height of 2 feet and provide clear space around each plant of at least 4 feet. Remove all flammable materials from the ground, under decks, and around propane tanks. Keep roofs and gutters clear of debris.
Zone 2: 30-100 feet from buildings
Remove all vegetation that would allow flames to climb up vegetation or buildings. Trim limbs a minimum of 6 feet from ground. Create islands of shrubs, thinning them enough to walk between them. On slopes greater than 20% gradient, treatment should be extended an additional 100 feet from structures. Stack wood piles at least 30 feet from structures. Never prune near power lines, call your local utility company first
To find out more about how to register for a home assessment, visit our web site at rinconvalleyfd.org or call us at (520) 647-3760. Residents must reside in the district and within the Wildland Urban Interface to be eligible for a home assessment.
Fiona de Young recently joined the Rincon Valley Fire District as its new Community Relations Manager. In this role, she is responsible for managing the District’s community engagement and media relations. Before joining the District, Fiona worked as an aide to U.S. Senator Martha McSally. She holds a Master’s Degree in Information Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Fiona loves hiking in the beautiful mountains of Southern Arizona.
