[Vision2020] Fw: KEEPING IDAHO GREEN

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-----Original message-----

From: "Crapo News Release (Crapo)" newsclips at crapo.senate.gov
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:56:07 -0700
To: 
Subject: KEEPING IDAHO GREEN

FOR RELEASE 	               	CONTACT:           Susan Wheeler (202)
224-5150
Week of July 27, 2008	                           Laura Thurston
Goodroe (202) 224-7500

			KEEPING IDAHO GREEN
	Guest opinion submitted by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo


After the snow we had last winter, fires that have ravaged northeastern
Washington and the few we've seen in Idaho to date seem somewhat
improbable.  Unfortunately, even the record-breaking winter we just had
isn't a guarantee against wildland fires; in some cases, underbrush
growth encouraged by a wet winter can exacerbate troublesome fire
conditions.  History has demonstrated clearly that, for Westerners,
wildfire, like cyclical drought, is a fact of life for which we must be
prepared.  

Currently, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is at its highest
national fire alert level, higher than it's been since 2002.  This is
due in large part to the fires in California, but the drought risk
factor extends to Idaho as well.  As the annual fire season begins in
Idaho and the West, people and communities can reduce the likelihood of
catastrophic wildland fire.  

The familiar Forest Service campaign, "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires,"
offers these and other suggestions:

     *  Don't park vehicles on dry grass.
     * If off-road vehicle use is allowed, internal combustion equipment
requires a spark
     arrester.
     *  Know your county's outdoor burning regulations. 
     * At the first sign of wildfire, leave the area immediately by
established trails or
     roads.  Contact a Ranger as soon as possible.  If the escape route
is blocked,
     go to the nearest lake or stream.
     *  Inspect your site upon leaving.
     *  Keep stoves, lanterns and heaters away from combustibles.
     *  Never use stoves, lanterns and heaters inside a tent.
	
Thoroughly plan your trip to the woods.  Know the area and the weather
forecast; be aware of fire or travel restrictions; and select your
campsite wisely.  Whether it's a day hike, a week-long backcountry horse
trip, or something in between, be well-informed and prepared for
emergencies.  

If you live along vulnerable wildland-urban interface, NIFC offers these
recommendations when it comes to protecting your home:
      * Clean roof surfaces and gutters regularly to avoid accumulation
of flammable
      materials. 
      *  Remove portions of any tree extending within 10 feet of the
flue opening of any
      stove or chimney. 
      *  Space landscape vegetation so that fire can't be carried to the
structure or
      surrounding vegetation. 
      *  Maintain a fuel break around all structures. 
      *  Dispose of stove or fireplace ashes and charcoal briquettes
only after soaking
      them in a metal pail of water. 
      *  Propane tanks should be far enough away from buildings for
valves to be shut
      off in case of fire.  Keep area clear of flammable vegetation. 
      *  All combustibles should be kept away from structures. 
      *  Garden hoses should be connected to outlets. 
      *  Addressing should be indicated at all intersections and on
structures. 
      *  Roads and driveways should be at least 16 feet wide. 
      *  Have fire tools handy: ladder long enough to reach the roof,
shovel, rake and
      water bucket. 

Four Idaho communities participate in a proactive effort to protect
personal property before a fire starts.  Two communities near Lake Coeur
d'Alene, one in Boise and one in Pocatello participate in the National
Firewise Communities Program, a multi-agency effort designed to involve
homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers and others in
efforts to reduce wildland fire risk and damage.  

Scars from wildland fires last lifetimes.  Practice safety in the woods
and at home this season, and remember the motto that Keep Idaho Green, a
statewide fire prevention organization formed in 1946, embraced years
ago that remains painted on some state roads even today: Don't be a
Guberif.  

WORD COUNT:  572

To link directly to this news release, please go to:
http://crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=301157&&

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