5 Ways to Prepare for Oregon's Wildfire Season

Salem-News.com

Click here to read more about preparing for Oregon’s wildfire season, from maintaining your property to preparing an evacuation kit.

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(SALEM, Ore.) - There’s no denying that Oregon is a beautiful state to put down roots in. It represents a veritable haven for those who prefer a slower pace of life, alongside areas of natural beauty and untamed wilderness – and, for many, home.

Unfortunately, living alongside nature is not without its risks – and the impending risk of wildfire season is all too familiar for many of Oregon’s 4 million + residents.

By now, the overwhelming majority of us are aware of what we can do to avoid forest fires. From refraining from properly extinguishing campfires to keeping up to date on any local restrictions on trash burning and other high-risk activities, there’s plenty we can do to minimize our risk for the environment, and our neighbors.

There is, however, no guarantee that this will be sufficient, and we all need to take a few additional steps for ourselves to ensure that the risk is mitigated as much as possible – and, by extension, the consequences.

Read more below.

Review Your Homeowners Insurance Policy
First and foremost, taking out a comprehensive home insurance policy when you first purchase a home is absolutely vital. In this article about homeowners insurance in Oregon by Lemonade, they cover all the finer points of finding a policy suited to your home, as well as the particular risks of living in the Beaver State.

Insurance is about preparing for what could happen – whether it’s relatively minor damage caused to your garage, or structural damages to your family home. While it can be difficult to force yourself to consider these ‘what if’s?’, doing so is far better than finding yourself in one of those situations without protection.
Check Your Property
Unfortunately, none of us have the power to enclose our properties within a protective bubble – however much we wish we could. We can, however, target our home maintenance chores toward minimizing the risk of fire spreading and causing major damage.

From clearing the lawns of dead leaves to keeping on top of pruning branches and shrubs, and ensuring that no organic matter (whether climber plants or firewood) is stored close to your home, exercising a little additional vigilance as a homeowner plays a vital role in reducing the risk wildfires pose to your property, and possessions.
Use an Air Purifier
Let’s be clear: if fire is spreading close to your home, and you know it’s time to evacuate, an air purifier is the least of your concerns. However, during Oregon wildfire season, many homes not facing the immediate risk of fire will still be pervaded by the smell of smoke – a health risk in and of itself.

Filtering the air inside your home during wildfires will go a long way to mitigating the stench of smoke – and, of course, removing many of the harmful chemicals before they are able to reach your and your family’s lungs.
Put Together an Evacuation Kit
We are all aware of how fast fire can travel when it’s got plenty of kindling to burn through – a fact which means that the need to evacuate can come on quickly, even if the risk still seems to be miles away from your home and family.

An evacuation kit will look slightly different for everybody. On your evacuation packing list, you should include essentials like medication, food, water, diapers, pet food, ID and money – among other things.

Remember that, in an emergency, time will be of the essence. As such, you should keep as much of this stuff packed as is practical so that, in a worst case scenario, you can throw it in the trunk and get away in plenty of time.
Know When to Evacuate
Even with the best will – and the best preventative measures – in the world, wildfires can still reach us, and it is absolutely vital that we understand when – and how – to evacuate.

In excess, both caution and calm can cause issues, which is why anyone living in a high risk area should understand what resources to turn to in the event of a nearby wildfire.

In Oregon, there are three levels for emergency evacuation ranging from ‘Be Ready’, to ‘Be Set’, to ‘Leave Immediately’. Alerts are disseminated by county officials, and reported on the Statesman Journal, and should be continually monitored by all residents.

However, the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshall reminds all residents that the absence of a Leave Immediately order is not an order to stay put if you feel threatened. Residents should monitor the risk, and leave as soon as they begin to feel the risk level is too high.