Hotter, drier summer seasons have plagued several West Coast states, leading to increasing numbers of wildfires. Many of these wildfires reach epic proportions and cause millions of dollars of destruction. Entire cities such as Paradise, California, and Talent, Oregon, were almost entirely destroyed by wildfires in 2018 and 2020.
The key to protecting our homes and communities from wildfires is implementing proactive preventative strategies to lessen the spread of fire and increase the accessibility for emergency responders to reach remote areas.
Excavation professionals with mechanized equipment are essential for these programs.
The benefits of contracting with excavation companies to thin forests, clear brush, and create defensible space are many. First, employees of excavation businesses are experienced and skilled in forestry management and timber clearing techniques. Using excavation crews for related jobs, firefighters and other emergency responders can focus on suppressing active fire lines. Excavation crews have the skill required to remove hazardous trees and brush safely and construct fuel breaks during night-time hours when fire activity is at its lowest.
Proactively creating fuel breaks has been proven to be an effective fuel reduction strategy. According to Canada’s Wildland Fire Operations Research Group, “Fuelbreaks are not designed to stop fires but to allow suppression forces a higher probability of successfully attacking a wildland fire.” In 2008, the Rich Wildfire threatened the bottom of the Feather River Canyon in California. Fortunately, the fire only burned about 342 acres. In the Forest Service’s report, they attribute fuel breaks to the firefighter’s success:
“…noted that any and all direct suppression efforts became successful in the area of the fuel break. Before the fire hit this area, only indirect methods at the head of the fire were successful. The fuel break slowed the fire so much that incident resources were able to concentrate the suppression effort on higher priority areas closer to communities and deferred suppression efforts at the head of the fire and the fuel break.”
Do you have an effective fuels reduction strategy for your rural property?
If you reside in one of Southern Oregon’s beautiful, forested terrains, you are likely very aware of the threat of wildfire to your property during our hot and dry summer season. Our expert team at Excavation Oregon can assess your property and provide you with a fuel reduction strategy, including a defensible perimeter for your home and family. Contact us today for more information and a free quote.
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