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Show SUMMIT COUNTY NEWS JULY 29, 2011 4NRCs Conservation Corner PAGE A5 Civility Cards are being circulated by LPC Minimizing your risk to wildland fire BY DOUG GARFIELD During our long, cold and wet spring very few were thinking of wildland fire and its potential effects. Abundant plant growth precipitated by our wet spring has created a tremendous fuel load that when dried and cured could create the perfect conditions for wildfire. Here in the west, wildland fire has been a continual challenge. With today's rapid growth and development fire's threat to those living and recreating along the wildland-urban interface continues to increase. Recent conditions, including drought, insect infestations, and lack of fire which normally cleans out densely vegetated areas have resulted in dangerously fire-prone regions. The wildland-urban interface is defined as the zone where natural areas and development meet. It has gained increasing importance as more Americans build homes in rural settings adjacent to public lands. Over 400 Utah communities have been classified "at risk" of wildfire. It is the responsibility of citizens, developers, local, county and state officials to identify, assess and reduce if possible the risk of devastation due to wildland fire. Approximately 25% of Utah's forests are in non-federal ownership. As a result a number of problems have increased as we have pushed further into the surrounding wildlands. People desire to live in secluded areas surrounded by natural vegetation without defensible space. They like their homes or cabins surrounded or enveloped by trees. Some homes are built of flammable materials like wood siding or roofing materials such as wood shingles. Fire equipment may be hampered from accessing an area because of long, narrow, steep, winding driveways. Fire departments may be increased distances away. You may have only one way in and out of subdivisions. Water supplies may be inadequate. Utility lines and propane tanks can also present hazards in an out of control fire. Wildfire destroys or damages homes and property 3 ways. Radiant heat, direct flames and ember attack. Radiant heat is the heat you feel from a campfire. Given enough time and energy radiant heat can ignite objects without direct contact. Direct flames destroy structures by touching and igniting buildings. Ember attack occurs when ignited fuels like grass and twigs become air born and land on structures before, during or after the flame front has passed. Typically your home will be at risk from 1015 minutes from direct flame contact and radiant heat contact as the fire front passes. With ember attack your home may be at risk from 30 minutes before the fire front up to 8 hours after the passing of the fire front. Research has shown that it is impossible for radiant heat from a wildfire to ignite a typical wood sided home from 100 or more feet away. In tests, homes as close as 33 feet from a wildfire have survived if flames did not touch the structure. Things that can be controlled unlike the weather are the flammability of the house and the materials near the house. Try to make sure that your home or cabin is constructed of non-flammable, fire resistant materials to the greatest degree possible. Store all firewood and other combustible items at least 30 feet from your home. Keep gutters free from leaves, needles and debris. Create a home defensible space. Separate the area around your home into 3 zones, near, mid and far areas. In the near area out to 30 feet choose low growing, fire resistant plants. Keep grasses cut and watered. The fewer trees you have right next to BROWNIE CONTEST Fairgrounds Pavillion Thursday, August 11th - 5:00 P.M. Age Divisions 12-15 / 16-18 / 19 & Up Please bring a plate of your favorite brownies with the recipe. Brownies have to be made by the person entering them. Cash prizes will awarded the house the better. Choose deciduous trees over conifers if possible and remove overhanging branches that touch the roof. Keep trees separated with at least 10 feet between their crowns. In the mid area out to 100 feet the idea is to slow down wildfire. Consider modifying the vegetation which has the potential to become fuel to carry fire towards your home. Thinning and clumping of trees is recommended. Reducing ladder fuels, dead branches and other woody debris can prevent ground fire from moving up into crowns of the trees which can lead to a hot, fast moving fire. This can be done by removing or pruning low growing plants adjacent to larger trees. Prune low to the ground tree branches up to 10 feet in height. In the areas beyond 100 feet consider forest management techniques such as thinning, pruning and fuel reduction by cleaning up the forest floor. Make an assessment of the vegetation types in your area. One factor affecting fire behavior is the type of vegetation found in your area. Grass and brush can carry fire at a rate of 6.5 mph with flames reaching 22 feet and burning up to 3400 acres / hr. Wind, slope and weather conditions will also affect your defensible space. Creating a property that is prepared for wildfire is an ongoing process. Help is available through two government agencies. Forest planning and management help is available through the Utah Division Forestry Fire and State Land (435-671-3326) and the Natural Resource Conservation Service in Coalville at (435) 336-5853 or Ogden at (801) 629-0575. They can provide technical assistance and funding to help develop a forest management plan increasing productivity and reducing your vulnerability to wildfire on your lands. NRCS is an equal opportunity provider and employer. CHERYL OVARD SCN Editor Recently a Resolution was passed by the Summit County Council regarding Leadership Park City, Class 17, presenting their goal for this group - "Civility in the County!" That is not to say that Park City or any other area within Summit County is "not" doing a good job with being understanding and helping the community, their neighbors and friends, and etcetera, but noting some of the kindness and good works of people in the community, and helping out passing out the 5,000 "Civility Cards" within the county, can be a good thing! The current Leadership Park City (LPC)class began to spread and publicize this project, and a "Civility Card" was presented to Myles Rademan, as an honorary Card. His long-time affiliation with the LPC class has been invaluable! The #1 Civility Card was then presented to TMIS (Treasure Mountain International School)'s Julie Hooker. There were 5,000 printed, and these cards can be passed along to others by the recipients. Ms. Hooker's civility card was in honor of what she does in her classroom of 125-150 students she has during the day - that is, as she put it, "...Part of civility is teaching kindness and helping students understand how important it is to STOP bullying. In my classroom, we do a unit on bullying. A report out of Norway noted that one of the worst ways to bully is to simply ignore someone. As a class we discuss bullying and ways to stop it." Ms Hooker is looking to pass her civility card on! Matt Lindon, a Leadership Park City class member, stated that he sees the cards being completely distributed by mid September. Tracking the card on the website at www.parkcivility.com will help to create the history of this project. It is hopeful that these cards will also be used by those in the political running! Good luck Leadership Park City, with this project! Mountainlands Community Housing Trust celebrates completion of self help group eight Mountainlands Community Housing Trust (MCHT) will celebrate the completion of six homes by its Eighth Mutual Self Help group by holding an Open House at 325 South 125 West in Kamas at 4:00 p.m. on July 26, 2011. The completion of these homes will be the 63rd constructed under the Mutual Self Help Program and 135th home completed by MCHT since 2002. Under the Mutual Self Help Program, six families have worked for more than six months with MCHT's construction supervisor and staff to help build each other's homes. Families Cookie Decorating Contest Fairgrounds Bowery Thursday, August 11th - 4:00 P.M. Age Divisions: 3-6 / 7-9 / 10-12 3-6 year olds 4:00 P.M. 7-9 year olds 4:20 P.M. 10-12 Year olds 4:40 PM Cash prizes will be given. work a minimum of 30 hours per week performing approximately 65% of the labor required to build their homes. They obtain homeownership while learning new skills, getting to know their future neighbors and enjoying the satisfaction of building their own home. One of the participants, Paulette Dennis, said "This program is a great program for a first time home buyer. If it wasn't for this program, who knows when we would be getting into a home. The people have been great to work with. If I had any questions they would go to great lengths to find the answer. I am grateful for everyone at Mountainlands Community Housing Trust and Rural Development." The Mutual Self Help Program is sponsored by USDA Rural Development. Rural Development provides tech- nical assistance grants to MCHT and subsidized loans to the homeowners. Homeowners must qualify for the program under income limits, have good credit and be willing to provide sweat equity. The homes are located in the Village of Kamas Commons Subdivision in Kamas. All homes are 1400-1500 square feet. MCHT's Ninth Mutual Self Help group will also build in The Village of Kamas Commons Subdivision and will start later this summer. Applications are being accepted now. MCHT is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to create, preserve and advocate for affordable housing in Summit and Wasatch Counties. For information about the Open House, directions or Group Nine of the Mutual Self Help Program contact MCHT at (435) 647-9719. Subscribe To The Summit County News! 783-1471 Summit County Fair Dog Show Fair Factor The Summit County Fair Parade Saturday, August 6th - 10:00 AM Summit County Fairgrounds Purebred or mixed breed Conformation, Showmanship, Best Trick, Dress up Pre-registration $3.00, day of Show $6.00 Exhibitors -13 years old and older For more information contact: Michelle 336-7423 or the fair office at 336-3221 or 783-4351 ext 3221 Thursday, August 11, 2011 Aug. 13, 2011 - 10:00 am Coalville Main Street Summit County Fair Pet Fest 7:00 pm at the Grandstand at the Fair grounds Limited to the first 25 contestants to sign up Between the ages of 14-18 For rules visit www.summitcounty.org/fair Kids up to and including age 12 and their pets are invited to participate. Summit County Fair Pie Baking Contest August 10, 2011 Summit County Fairgrounds Saturday, August 13, 2011 6:00 pm at the Fairgrounds Bowery (under the livestock tent) Registration 12:30pm Judging begins at 1:00 pm Please visit www.summitcounty.org/fair for rules. For more information contact: Melanie Bosworth or the Summit County Fair Office at 336-3221 or 783-4351 ext. 3221 Cash prizes will be awarded. Adult and youth categories is a Barrel of FUN!! Entry forms can be printed off the web at www.summitcounty.org/fair Entry Deadline Aug. 11 Or contact the Summit Co Fair Office at 336-3221 or or 783-4351 ext 3221 Summit County Fair PRCA Rodeo August 12th & 13th - 8:00 PM Tickets can be purchased in the Fair Office at the Summit County Courthouse or on line at www.summitcounty.org/fair All Seats are Reserved Friday Night is Family Night, adult tickets $10.00, kids 3-14 $4.00, 2 & under free. Saturday Night all tickets are $10.00 For more information call 336-3221or or 783-4351 ext 3221 |