BLM fire prevention guidelines
by Geoff Kreis
Three years ago, the Grey family lost nearly everything they
owned when, what started as a small brush fire, quickly over-
took their home outside of Reno. Today, they are still recover-
ing from the fire that they say could have been prevented from
destroying their home.
The Grey's story is not unlike what could happen to any of
us, and fire safety neglect is one reason why the risk gets greater
every day.
The Bureau of Land Management recently issued its 1997
fire safety guidelines, calling on all citizens to take part and be
more aware to prevent tragedies from occurring.
"While the 1997 fire season hasn't been as active as last
year's, there is still a long summer ahead,"said BLM Acting
Director Sylvia Baca. "We need the public's support to ensure
the safety of their homes, their lives, and the lives of our
firefighters."
Baca said that even though federal firefighting resources are
not as strained as they were a year ago, significant fires pop up
in areas such as Alaska and Southern California that require
large amounts of attention. Areas of Nevada are badly hit as
well like the mountains and rural desert. Fires in this state have
cost millions of dollars in damage in recent years.
"We are not letting down our guard for this year's fire
season, and I ask the public to do their part in helping us prevent
fires on public lands." Baca said.
To reduce fire hazards, Baca said homeowners should:
- Clear leaves, brush, and dry grass within 30 feet of houses
and other structures and keep it that way throughout the fire
season.
- Remove all trees within 10 feet of homes and space
remaining trees at least 10 feet apart. All tree branches should
be cut to a height of six feet to reduce the chance of fires
spreading to treetops.
- Clean roofs and rain gutters regularly, keeping them free
of twigs, leaves, and pine needles.
- Remove tree limbs within 10 feet of chimneys or stove
pipes.
- Store firewood and combustible materials at least 30 feet
away from buildings.
- Post their home address along the road at the driveway
entrance, as well as on the home. Numbers should be at least
four inches high and mounted on high-contrast, non-combus-
tible background material.
- Apply a fire retardant solution, such as phosphate salt to
wood shingle and shake roofs and re-treat as suggested.
For those who are working or recreating outdoors, Baca
urged individuals to follow ['hese safety guidelines:
- Check area fire conditions before going into wildlands and
strictly observe any restrictions on campfires, smoking, or
equipment that may be in effect.
- Don't park cars, trucks, or recreational vehicles on dry
vegetation as the exhaust system of a vehicle can reach tern-
peratures in excess of 1,000
degrees. It only takes about
500 degrees to start a summer
wildfire.
- Use an approved spark
arrester on all internal com-
bustion-powered vehicles and
equipment.
- Maintain equipment prop-
erly.
- Clear the area around a
campfire. Remove all vegeta-
tion and debris within 10 feet
before starting the fire.
- Keep fire suppression
tools handy. Make sure you
have a bucket of water, shovel,
and other implements nearby
in case your campfire starts to
get out of control.
- Make sure a campfire is
"dead out" before leaving. Stir
water and dirt into the coals
with a shovel or stick until the
coals are cool enough to touch
with your hands.
- Extinguish smoking ma-
terials properly. Put out ciga-
rettes, cigars, or pipes only in
cleared areas free of vegeta-
tion or debris.
- Don't use fireworks in
wildland areas. Fireworks are
illegal on most wildlands any-
way.
Les Rosenkrance, director
of the National Interagency
Fire Center in Boise, Idaho,
joined Baca in the pursuit of
fire awareness. His depart-
ment was kept very busy last
Pahrump Valley Gazette, Thiarsday, July'31', 997 9
year during one of the worst fire seasons in the nation's history.
"Despite the intensity of last year's fire season, which
burned more than six million acres of public land and destroyed
nearly 800 structures, no federal firefighters lost their lives on
the fire line while battling the blazes," he said. "The public can
help us maintain that safety record this season."
PRIMESTAR BY TSAT
We will be in Pahrump August 1-2. at Chief Auto Parts from
10a.m. - 6p.m. Register to win complete Entertainment System
1-800-449-1269
Programming Packages Starting at About a Dollar a Day!'"
TOtaJ irlst prce iS $149.00 ar[ es no( ir:cLhe any progzammzrg costs, eq refltal 6 r
tocredltappmvaJ Offer valid through July31,1997 Cannot becordo4nodw anyother offer Offer avadableff'oggh setected dr, strutzon Localsales
tax may apply. "*Does not ;'¢lude laliati Based o, .,ected packages. Prices are sob to change L s y , C, FOX, C
and PBS are avadate only to hosetds that cannot receive that netwo otf-the-ar lrom the local TV statn us= a conv rooftop antenna and have
not recew that nelwo by cabte TV wn 90 days prior to sateltle sen All channels are fn i a Pnces avale fo resental
servce only ¢1997 PRIMESTAR BY TSAT.
t I
Bllfllrdrjr Saturday, August 2nd &
llt/ll;Br [oJ Sunday, August 3rd
Will be at ® from 10 am until 6 pm
Serv00
I00[PIt[*
* Not Just 6 Months • Any Rate Ran $17.95 or higher. 7pro Fri to 7am Mort.
Plans from $11.95 per month with no deposits
No Roaming Charges Between Pahrump & Las Vegas
Dun'ng this special promotion, a generous
donation will be made to No To Abuse of
Pahrump for every line of service connected
