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  • From: Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Homestead] Fire safe was: Innumeracy and housebuilding
  • Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 08:42:46 -0700

At 9/25/2004, you wrote:
We now live in fire country. We are clearing a hundred feet around the
house of trees and brush. We're also going to put in a couple of water
tanks. We purposely bought on a private road that has its own volunteer
fire department (two fire trucks) and already has tanks of water on every
3rd parcel.

I have become a bit more experienced in fires than I would like. We had one 8 years ago where we thought the house was gone and then one a year ago that burned my son's house to the ground and took my work truck. I lost my bees again in the last one but with preparation the fire did not get near the house. I did manage to stop the fire at the creek behind the house .

Fire management is fuel management. Get the fuel under control and the rest becomes easier. I cleared all the brush about 125' away from the house. The first fire burned to within 40 feet because low grass and ornamentals shrubs provided fuel. After that fire I cleared over 150' away and choose replacements carefully, looking for low growing plants with wet leaves. I also disked fire breaks all over the place. I keep the small brush cut back and cut the grass early in the spring to keep the total fuel load low.

The house has an air entrained concrete roof and double paned windows. The eves are exposed but that is expensive to enclose with stucco. I put metal screens in the gable vents because I saw ash in the attic after the fire.We only have annual flowers against the house. Around the house is a small well watered lawn and ice plant on the slops. There is no path for fire to the house, minimal places for embers to lodge against flammable parts of the house, and radiated heat is controlled.

The next fire was in a heavy wind. Embers blowing heavy so I had to go fight it. I have 2 ince water lines to the back of the property and all hoses are 3/4 inch. I was able to knock the fire down as it came onto the property but the AHOLE neighbor had burning trash that threw embers all over the place. That is how my bees burned again but I did keep a storage shed and camping trailer from burning. After the fire in the daylight I could see that the fires burned to the fire breaks but no further.

After the last fire I saw no reason to make major changes to what I had done. The neighbor is still a problem and will always be. Unfortunately we are selling so it is up to the next person to look after the place. One of the casinos is just to the east of us and several fires originate behind there. The locals like to party in the weeds.

Don Bowen
Awl Knotted Up Woodworking
Valley Center, CA http://www.braingarage.com






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