COLUMBIA, MO, March 7, 2007 - Missouri wildfires may not be as dramatic as the ones out West that make the national news, but they happen with enough frequency in the state to raise concerns about the potential for loss of property and lives.

Those concerns are fueling the implementation of the Firewise Communities program in Missouri. “Firewise” is not about fire prevention; its purpose is to teach people how to live more safely with the threat of fire.

“Missouri is not immune to wildfires. We have several thousand each year,” says Duane Parker, a fire protection specialist who will be presenting Firewise programs in Missouri during the next two years. Parker says most wildfires in Missouri are small, affecting only a few acres. But they sometimes get out of control, and they burn houses, barns, fences and other buildings.

“It’s not just a western thing. It can happen here,” he says.

The Firewise program is available in Missouri through a $300,000 grant obtained from the USDA Forest Service by Missouri’s Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) councils, in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Conservation. The RC&D program, administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, helps people initiate, develop and maintain projects that protect natural, social and economic resources in their local areas. There are eight, multi-county RC&D areas and three applicant areas in Missouri, and Parker will conduct several Firewise meetings in each of the areas during the next two years.

Rita Mueller, coordinator of the Southwest Missouri RC&D area, says the first meetings will focus on community leaders, including realtors, developers, insurance companies and rural fire department personnel. They will hear about the advantages of building roads wide enough for firetrucks or for two vehicles to pass side-by-side, and the need to include turnaround spots.

“We want to get people thinking about fire protection before they build,” Mueller says.

Parker adds that the Firewise program also teaches homeowners how to lessen the impact of wildfires. He says a home is more likely to withstand a wildfire if it is constructed with roofing materials that are not combustible. The same concept applies to fencing, landscaping and other items near buildings. Managing grass, brush, trees and other fuels can create defensible spaces around buildings. Defensible spaces are areas that reduce a fire’s intensity. They can make the difference in saving buildings, especially when it might take some time for firefighters to reach wildfire sites.

“There are things that homeowners can do that will give their property a good chance of surviving a wildfire without fire department intervention,” Parker says.

Benefits can be maximized when Firewise concepts are adopted on a community basis. Mueller says one of the goals in Missouri is to create two official Firewise communities in each of the eight RC&D areas. A “community” could be a subdivision or a small town.

For specific tips about creating defensible spaces around homes and buildings, and for other information about the Firewise Communities program, visit http://www.firewise.org.

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