Friday, March 29, 2024

A step toward preparing for wildfire season

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    With the sun setting later and the weather permitting short sleeves instead of snow boots, summer is on the horizon. But like most things, with the good comes the bad. The hot, dry weather impending on North Central Washington maximizes the chances of unfortunate possibilities for 2019 during wildfire season. Local and statewide organizations, including local agency Chumstick Wildfire Stewardship Coalition, pooled their resources together to prepare Leavenworth, Plain and Chumstick residents for the upcoming wildfire season.
    The meeting took place in the Icicle Village Resort, staring at 6 p.m. with plenty of pamphlets and presenters to aid any lingering questions from residents after the presentations.
    "We're a grassroots organization," said Ross Frank, one of the founders of the Chumstick Wildfire Stewardship Coalition as he introduced the group and its purpose. "We have two primary goals. One is outreach and education. We have to change our culture, our living culture as residents on this landscape needs to change to adapt to wildfires.  
    The Chumstick Coalition not only coaxed residents to be self-aware and educated, but also highlighted a variety of tangible ways for residents to help mitigate the dangers of wildfires.
    "Our second focus is real, actual physical change in the landscape," said Frank. "That's work done on the ground."
    Corinne Hoffman also spoke on behalf of the grassroots group and education efforts. She also elaborated on upcoming events that the community could participate in. On May 4 and 5 there will be a Firewise Woody Vegetation Recycling Event from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. From April 24-May 3 there will be a 2019 Spring Chipping available for residents as well.
    "We need to work together to make our landscape more fire resilient and to protect our homes, our livelihood and ourselves," said Hoffman.
    Some of the other organizations that prompted the community to reach out to join their efforts were: Chelan County Fire District 3, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Cascadia Conservation District and Chelan County Natural Resources.
    "It takes a Bavarian Village," said Alex Roberts from Chelan County Fire District 3. "It's all of us working together. We're here to support your efforts, but you all as home owners, land owners, need to take leadership role and call us for home assessments, chipper projects, that kind of thing."
    The theme of the series of presentations was breaking down projects that each organization is invested in and offering - while tying in ways that the community can actively participate to prepare both their property and themselves for wildfire season.
    "As we want the forest to be wildfire resistant, we as residents need to be wildfire resistant as well," said Frank.

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