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PSA: prep for wildfire season now


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This is a gentle reminder to check your air filter stash and reorder now, off season, as prices tend to be lower now. It can be difficult to find filters during bad fire years, and this year is looking like it may be rough for many.

Additionally, don’t forget cleanup supplies should it get smoky in your area. This paper was published recently, showing the importance and efficacy of cleaning the insides of your windows, laundering your clothing, etc. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/mengin_fac/473/

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Your idea of preparing for a bushfire and mine are hugely different

Here preparing for a bushfire means checking your fire survival plan. Which includes

Preparing your property. 

Checking  pumps and hoses

Going over to neighbours and checking what they will be doi g  in a fire

Making sure you know where important documents are

Notifying relatives if your plan will be to stay and defend or leave

All of this is done every year by just about every rural  Aussie before summer

 

Edited by Melissa in Australia
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1 minute ago, Melissa in Australia said:

All of this is done every year by just about every rural  Aussie before summer

You can imagine my shock when talking to mates in one of the rural cities that they don't keep the Emergency app open all summer!

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3 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Your idea of preparing for a bushfire and mine are hugely different

Here preparing for a bushfire means checking your fire survival plan. Which includes

Preparing your property. 

Checking  pumps and hoses

Going over to neighbours and checking what they will be doi g  in a fire

Making sure you know where important documents are

Notifying relatives if your plan will be to stay and defend or leave

All of this is done every year by just about every rural  Aussie before summer

 

I must admit this was my thinking as well, especially with the forecast for tomorrow! Somehow the weeds have shot up around the house. That is not to downplay the impact that smoke has on those with lung issues etc in cities. 

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We always have our evac bags packed and screens on our outside vents.  We are city dwellers on a tiny lawn—nothing to rake and no ability to water anything as pressure will be too low from everyone drawing on it. No one can self store water because lots are too small, and we often go 6 months without measurable rain. Our only choice will be to leave if it gets too close, and we have to leave early because of the number of people to evacuate. It is much more likely we will just be dealing with heavy smoke.

In the rural areas it looks like taking down trees, wrapping your house with gravel or concrete to build a defensible space, raking, etc. https://www.oregon.gov/osfm/Documents/Defensible Space Checklist.pdf. But, many insurance companies wont write policies for properties likely to burn anymore. No insurance = no mortgage, so unless you owned rurally before a few years ago or have the cash to buy outright, you cant live there now. https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/26/wildfire-protection-insurance-premium-oregon-wildfires-homeowners-fire-policies/?outputType=amp 

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We had several fires this week in Colorado already. I'm very concerned it's starting so early. I live in a high fire-danger area.

We maintain go bags, and a list of further evacuation activities. 

Edited by goldberry
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1 hour ago, goldberry said:

We had several fires this week in Colorado already. I'm very concerned it's starting so early. I live in a high fire-danger area.

We maintain go bags, and a list of further evacuation activities. 

That is what concerns me. February. Wildfires. Climate Change is getting scary, and being an El Nino year or whatever they call it, isn't helping.

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