- The North Tooele Fire District participates in the federal Community Wildfire Defense Program.
- The program funds education and employs workers to prevent and extinguish wildfires.
- The district received $381,250 over three years, vital amid frequent regional wildfires.
STANSBURY PARK — The North Tooele Fire District is participating in the federal government's Community Wildfire Defense Program for a second year. Given the number of wildfires in the region this year, the program — and its funding — could not have come at a better time.
One may think residents in Utah know enough about how to prevent wildfires, given the number of them we've seen this year alone. North Tooele Fire says they have had at least 100 wildfires in the county this year.
What the firefighters know, and what caused them to apply for the grant, is that despite the regularity of wildfires, people are still surprised when they happen and also to hear that the fire may have been preventable.
"People have this idea that 'it'll never happen to me,'" said John Smith, a firefighter with North Tooele Fire District. "It happens often. ... People have a misconception about wildfires. They don't realize that each spark ... every fire can be put out with a cup of water, if you catch it early enough."
The Community Wildfire Defense Program assists fire districts in involving the community to defend against the threat of wildfires that may exist in their towns, including residential properties.
The U.S. Forest Service runs the program and it provides funding to the state, which distributes it to the districts that applied and were awarded the grant. The Forest Service encourages firefighters to use strategies they have developed to mitigate wildfires in communities.
There are two parts to North Tooele's implementation of the program: Education of the community to increase their understanding of how to prevent wildfires, and the ability to employ two seasonal workers who can assist in extinguishing a fire.
The approach utilized by North Tooele firefighters is straightforward. They walk through the communities of the North Tooele region — Stansbury Park, Erda, Lake Point and Pine Canyon — and talk to residents about wildfire prevention. They also offer to assist with chipping limbs or other actions that can help with wildfire prevention.
The fire district also hosts presentations on what residents can do to limit their chances of a wildfire on their property — not flicking cigarette butts on dry weeds or brush on a hot, windy day, for example. They also host free dumpster days when residents can dump their tree limbs and other overgrown, dry greenery that is too dangerous to have close to the home.
A Smokey the Bear statue has also made its way to Stansbury Park as a result of the grant, allowing children to take pictures and learn about preventing wildfires.
There have been six houses in the county destroyed by wildfires this year, five of which started on the residents' property, Smith said. The need for the Community Wildfire Defense Program will continue to exist in order to keep the community safe.
As useful as all of this work is, none of it is free, or even cheap, according to the North Tooele Fire District. The grant provides the district with $381,250 to use over three years. Halfway through the funding period, firefighters say these dollars have been well spent, especially this year with the many fires in the region.
Kim Clausing, program manager for North Tooele Fire District, is responsible for finding funds to support the district's programs. This year, she has applied for 60 grants of various funding sizes.
She — or anyone at North Tooele Fire — is not 100% sure funding will be available in the future, given the federal budget cuts that may be implemented. Clausing is also trying not to pass the costs of these programs on to taxpayers in the region.
This is a difficult concept to put into action, given that North Tooele Fire District serves slightly more than 23,000 people, but also protects some federal land that cannot be taxed. Taxes for the fire district are a reality, then, for all residents.
Regardless, she, too, has seen the value of the community defense program to North Tooele and, as such, she will continue to seek funding to support the district's efforts.
"Wildfires are something we're all fighting," Clausing said. "We all want to keep our community safe. The firefighters are doing that with this grant."
