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Janie Slaven
Making McCreary ‘Firewise’
Volunteers working to reduce wildfire threat to homes
DAY RIDGE— There’s nothing like the serenity of living along the ridges and ravines of McCreary County but that peaceful country living can come at a price — particularly during wildfire season.
The McCreary County Firewise Council was established in 2001 to minimize home loss due to wildfire. With the help of grant funding, the council provides mitigation services (thinning, pruning, tree removal, etc.) as well as community education. Since 2007, 11 areas in the county have been officially designated as Firewise Communities. According to Estle Jones, with the West McCreary Fire Department, that figure should double by July.
“They’ve taken this program and run with it,” Cindy Bennett, Kentucky Firewise Technical Specialist, said. “Every penny they get is spent on mitigation.”
On Saturday, a firewise crew was working on Piney Creek Road at the home of Parker and Nancy Tucker. The Tuckers live in a renovated cabin which has been standing on the farm since the mid-1930s. Nearby the Tuckers’ grown son Nicholas recently built a home of his own.
The remote farm does not have access to public water but a pond and nearby lake have been used to fight brush fires in the past. Jones estimated that it would take approximately three Saturdays to complete the Piney Creek project.
“You’re doing very quickly what would have taken us four or five summers to do,” a grateful Nancy Tucker said.
With most Firewise projects, the goal is to have at least 30 feet of “defensible space” between the forest and structures.
When it comes to thinning, Jones noted that it is important to leave trees that provide enough shade to prohibit undergrowth. Clear cutting is not encouraged and the crews do not conduct any burning.
To learn more about the Firewise program, visit:
www.firewise.org/usa
or
www.forestry.ky.gov
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