1	Are you Fire Ready? Presented by: Michigan State University Extension Michigan Department of Natural Resources
2	Welcome and Introductions Presenters MI DNR Tom Proulx MSU Extension , Mike Jensen Baraga Emergency Management, Daune Smith
3	"Wildland fires occur in the..." Wildland fires occur in the future without the loss of homes and structures.
4	Program Objectives Provide and overview of the following topics: Understand the threat of wildfire to your home and family Understand the Wildland/Urban Interface concept Understand your role, as a home owner, in the partnership with fire departments, DNR, Forest Service and others in wildland fires Learn how homes burn Understand and learn how to create defensible space Understand what to do in a wildland fire emergency Know how to access more information on wildland fires
5	Understanding where we live Wildland/Urban Interface Serenity Seclusion Security
6	Wildland Urban Interface Definitions
7	Fire Basics Fire Requirements
8	How Houses Burn Firebrands Direct Contact Radiant Heat
9	Understanding fire in the interface View the Video
10	Partnership
11	Other Partners Water Dept. Street Dept. Police Dept. Planning Dept. Schools Insurance Builders & Developers Media Communications State/federal gov’ts Homeowners
12	What is the major cause of Wildfires in Michigan? Burning of Trash! Rules and regulations on burning Safe burning techniques Tools to keep ready!
13	Historic Fires Wisconsin and Michigan - The Peshtigo fire on October 8, 1871, claimed 1,500 lives and burned 2,500,000 acres (810,000 hectares); Michigan - in 1881, a great fire took 169 lives and burned 1 million acres (400,000 hectares); Minnesota - The Hinckley fire on September 1, 1894, burned 1 million acres (400,000 hectares) and claimed 418 lives; Ontario - On July 29, 1916, the Matheson fire burned 500,000 acres (200,000 hectares) and 250 lives were lost.
14	History and role of fire in UP and Michigan 2002 Michigan Fires 117- 429 acres burned 2003 Michigan Fires 410- 3935 acres burned Upper Peninsula Fires 78 – 672 acres burned Tower Lake Fire 5/2/1999- 5625 acres 8 structures lost, 400 people evacuated
15	Defensible Space
16	Defensible Space
17	Fire Tips Define your defensible space. Create a 30-foot, non-combustible zone around your house. It is the most effective safeguard against wildfire. Reduce flammable vegetation, trees and brush around your home. Choose fire-resistant plants with loose branching habits, high moisture content and little seasonal accumulation of dead vegetation. Remove or prune trees. Remove or thin overcrowded or weakened trees. Prune low-hanging branches to keep ground fires from climbing into trees. Cut grass and weeds regularly. Fire loves dry grass and weeds. Mow or trim low vegetation and keep it well-watered, especially during dry seasons. Relocate wood piles and leftover building materials. Stack all burnable materials at least 30 feet away from your home and other buildings. Keep your roof and yard clean. Pine needle build-up on composition shingle roofs can burn off the "gravel" surface layer and spread fire into the home. In several cases, exterior wood walls have caught fire from concentrations of pine needles that lined their base.
18	Fire Tips Continued Keep signs and addresses visible, and keep the home accessible. Highly visible signs and address numbers allow firefighters to find your home quickly during an emergency. Safe, easy access to your property includes driveways with well-trimmed peripheral vegetation. Contact your local fire agency for recommendations. Rate your roof. In a wildfire, it’s the most vulnerable part of your house. Consider treatment or replacement of a wood shake roof. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, install an approved spark arrestor. Regularly recycle yard debris and branches. Check into alternative disposal methods such as composting or recycling. If you burn yard debris, first contact your local fire agency for current regulations. Know what to do when wildfire strikes. Monitor local radio and TV for fire reports and evacuation procedures. Arrange garden hoses so they can reach any part of your house. Keep an emergency checklist handy and make sure it includes closing all windows and doors and packing your car for quick departure.
19	Roadways
20	Driveways – access requirements
21	Non-Fire Resistant Plants characteristics fine, dry or dead material within the plant such as twigs, needles or leaves (e.g. spruce); leaves, twigs or stems that contain volatile waxes, terpenes or oils; these usually are aromatic, meaning they have a strong smell when crushed, or have gummy sap or are resinous (e.g. sagebrush, bitterbrush); loose or papery bark (e.g. birch). Unhealthy plants with dead-dry material
22	Fire Resistant Plant characteristics moist and supple leaves (e.g. most deciduous trees, like maple); little dead wood and tend not to accumulate dry dead material within the plant (grape, boxwood, rhododendron, yucca); sap that is watery and does not have a strong odor (e.g. alder).
23	Preparing for the Emergency Checklist Go-box Preparing your home What to expect
24	What is Next? Prepare your property Prepare the community Get involved
25	More information Michigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan State University Extension United States Forest Service Firewise communities National Fire Association American Red Cross