The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office is offering free defensible space assessments to homeowners as wildfire season continues.
“You really see that the structures that are most resilient are the ones that have that good defensible space,” said OSFM Chief Deputy Chad Hawkins. “So, if we can get out into those communities, both the fire service and the state fire marshal’s office and tell folks there are opportunities for improvement or give them some advice, hopefully we can create a safer Oregon.”
OSFM says the best way to protect homes is to create six feet of defensible space.
“We’re looking to remove the dead and dying material on the ground. Limbing up trees around that six-foot mark. Looking at fire-resistant plants,” said Hawkins.
For the free defensible space assessment, OSFM officials meet with homeowners one-on-one to explain the best ways to protect homes. You can set up an appointment at this link.
“They will go through it with the home owner and then send it to them after they are done. It will be a PDF copy of what they talked about, any notes that were taken, opportunities for improvement and really taking that educational philosophy,” Hawkins added.
Hawkins says the structures that are most resilient to fires are the ones with good defensible space.
“Defensible space is what we will call our first line of defense and so if we have one house, one structure then it spreads, then it is a community and you are spreading community resilience as well because if it is you, your neighbor, your neighbor’s neighbor, collectively you are decreasing that risk out there.”
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Defensible Space Checklist
