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Show Fire Officials Urge Fall Cleanup Efforts Fall clean up efforts are a way you can get rid of unwanted vegetation and yard debris that add to the risk of a wildfire damaging dam-aging your home. Now is the time to take action against next year's potential wildfire threat. By taking steps to reduce the risk, a fire disaster is not inevitable. "Usually, fall clean-up brings to mind only raking leaves," Salt Lake Field Office, Fire Management Officer Jeff Kline said. "Fall clean up efforts are also a great opportunity to make your property "firewise" against the threat of wildfire." Just include the following tips while you're out in the yard this weekend and you will enhance the most effective safeguard safe-guard against wildfire for your home: DEFENSIBLE SPACE. Define and Create a "Defensible Space": Defensible space refers to that area between a house and the surrounding wildlands where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire threat. Depending on slope and vegetation, the recommended recom-mended minimum will vary from a 30-foot perimeter for level lots and up to a 150 perimeter for sloped lots. Lean, Clean and Green Lean: Remove dead limbs within 10' of your chimney or deck Clean: Stack and store firewood fire-wood as well as other flammable flamma-ble material at least 30' from the house. Green: Fall is a great time for planting fire resistant bulbs, plants, shrubs and trees. Check with your local nursery for suggestions. sug-gestions. Check Your Roof: Remember to clean your gutters that are likely filled with combustible com-bustible debris and leaves. Remove branches over the roof, under the eaves, and within 15 feet of the chimney. Install a spark arrestor over your chimney; chim-ney; check the fire rating of your shingles. Eliminate Ladder Fuels: Remove vegetation that allows a fire to move from lower growing grow-ing plants to taller ones. Remove lower tree branches or reduce height of shrubs. Break It Up: Interrupt the layers of vegetation to provide for separation between trees and small groups of shrubs i.e. crushed rock, organic mulches, rock and brick walls also help to slow the spread of flames. Maintain Your Space: Effective defensible space is a continual process. Simply include these firewise steps in your fall and spring clean up' efforts to maintain your proper- j ty's defensible space. " I The Bureau of Land Management, Salt Lake Field Office suggests contacting your city's public works department for possible city sponsored pickups pick-ups for unwanted materials. If collection is not available where you live, local landfills are a wonderful way to get rid of unwanted vegetation and materials. mate-rials. Often they will recycle or compost for a small fee. Remember, during a large-scale large-scale fire, firefighters must focus on homes that can safely defend. There is additional information available about how to protect your home from wildfire. wild-fire. To learn more about fire-resistant fire-resistant plants, construction building materials as well as emergency planning look on the web at www.firewise.org or www.ut.blm.gov. You can also contact your local fire agency office |