Fire Safety

Before and after example of underbrush clearing at the Harney View Park. Only the underbrush and lower branches were removed. Note no trees were removed

Tips to keep your property safe

  • Trim low hanging branches and remove dried litter to slow fires.
  • Beauty bark and not-so-beautiful pine needles will smolder. Keep it away from the home.
  • Tree roots can smolder, and the fire remain hidden for days, before it flares up again.
  • Trim vegetation so the fire department can have safe access to your and your neighbor’s homes. This is also important for medical emergencies.
  • Plant fire resistant plants 
  • Ocean Spray deserves a special mention. It may be fire resistant if it is well maintained and debris cleared from under the plant. As a native plant it spreads and grows abundantly on the island, so it is best to remove dense populations of Ocean Spray while carefully managing the full-sized specimens required for landscaping.
  • For more tips check out this document.
Fallen trees can block roads and represent a hazard. Be careful, especially after rain and strong winds. This is one of two that came down across Old Farm Road in Tawanda.

Tree Removal

The rules in our CC&Rs are there to ensure the environment is maintained for this and future generations. 

  • No Owner shall cut any trees greater in width than twelve (12) inches at six (6) feet above ground without approval of the Board of Directors of the Association and San Juan County, if county approval is required
  • Clear cutting is not allowed. Clearing a certain amount of space may be approved, as long as at least fifty percent (50%) of the natural growth is left undisturbed.
  • Under all circumstances, a 15-foot-wide buffer of trees should remain along lot lines

The Firewise USA® Program

The Firewise USA® Program coordinates local fire districts, conservation districts, counties, and extension programs to encourage homeowners and communities to prepare for wildfire. 

If you want to assess your own property, the process is simple and there is excellent information available online 

If you want to request an assessment of your property, please email Kathleen Salinas, ksalinas@sjiffa.org Firewise Regional Coordinator, San Juan Island Fire District 3, Tel. 541-761-4800. We do not have a trained Firewise consultant on Orcas at present, but Kathleen will come over to help us out.

 

The fire department requires that someone must accompany the fire fighter during the inspection. 

Financial Resources

The Washington Forest Resilience Division can provide financial support to improve the fire safety of your property. They work across all lands to ensure forested ecosystems retain their resilience against disturbance mechanisms such as fire, insects, and diseases. Forest Resilience also monitors Washington forests to see how they are adapting to climate change, increasing drought severity, and more severe heat waves. 

Here are some useful links:

  • https://www.dnr.wa.gov/ForestHealth
  • https://www.dnr.wa.gov/cost-share
  • https://www.dnr.wa.gov/LandownerAssistancePortal

For more information, or to schedule a visit,  contact Bud Westcott, our Forest Resilience Forester