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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: Homestead <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Homestead] Fire protection for rural homes
  • Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 07:09:21 -0500

This is the reply from my friend the retired So. Cal forest fire chief:

Regarding your question about home protection in a wildfire there are two parts which include the home itself and the vegetation around it. Suggest you look at this website http://www.firesafecouncil.org/ the focus mostly on the vegetation but have some good home exterior stuff too. Permanent water storage with a pipe preconnected to the water and threads that the FD can connect to or drive up to and draft.

I also like the idea of permanent hydrants charged and ready to go with hose that will reach around buildings. In Arkansas [where they just bought a place] we have a community water system plus we have a traditional water system with three wells, pressure tank and that stuff. I'll put in either a generator to run the well system when the power goes out or a gas run motor for a fire pump. You can also lay pipe around the perimeter and use a temperature switch to start up the system while your away from home.

From my Ozark experience I would say that eliminated the grass and leaves around structures, metal roof enclosed eaves and the water source mentioned above. I was on quite a few fires in the Ozarks and don't remember any with structures that were burned down from vegetation fires. However the climate is changing and So Cal fire types might eventually move to other areas.



  • [Homestead] Fire protection for rural homes, Gene GeRue, 09/16/2007

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