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SALT LAKE COUNTY -- When a big wildfire like this weekend's Machine Gun Fire takes out someone's home, it's always a reminder for everyone else of the need to be prepared. State fire experts say a lot of us who should be ready are not.
More than 140,000 wildfires occur on average each year. Since 1990, more than 900 homes have been destroyed each year by wildfires. -UtahFireInfo.gov
The Machine Gun Fire is too fresh and active for experts to get out and analyze it and figure out why most houses survived and three didn't. But if you look at pictures of homes that had close calls, one point jumps out: green lawns save homes.
"Green does make a big difference," says Tyre Holfeltz, fire prevention coordinator for the state of Utah.
As part of his job, Holfeltz helps communities develop preparedness plans. He says more and more of us have moved into harm's way, buying and building homes on the edge of wild areas.
"Our overall risk has certainly risen, especially in the last 15 years in the state of Utah," Holfeltz says.
But you don't need green lawns to reduce the risk. With state help, residents in Hi-Country Estates, near Herriman, organized a major cleanup earlier this year. They cleared away underbrush, dead wood and trees that were too close to homes.
Related:
High winds kick up smoke and flames in Herriman fire
The number of crews working on the fire south of Herriman has doubled. More than 400 firefighters spent the day Tuesday fortifying fire lines as high winds picked up."[You] really have to keep after it," Holfeltz says. "It's like spring cleaning your home: You don't do it just once, you do it every single year."
The goal is to reduce fire fuel -- especially in clear zones of 30 feet or more around homes.
"It also can be a tragedy, as we've all found out. With fire, it can go up in a heartbeat and there's not a lot you can do about it unless you're, hopefully, prepared," says Hi-Country resident Terree Kay.
For those who don't believe in lawns, water-efficient plants are a good substitute. Kay also plans to make changes to her home.
"We are going to, in future years, replace the wood siding," she says. "This is our dream home. We've worked a lifetime to be here, and we don't want it gone."
The state does offer help to communities, both in the planning stage and in the hands-on work. If you want to get your community started, click on the related links to the right of the story to find out how.
E-mail: jhollenhorst@ksl.com
