Minnesota Wildfire Academy Aims To Minimize Wildfires

Fire safety might involve a lot of common sense reasoning, but it never hurts to get a fresh, outside perspective.  That's one of the goals of a hands-on class offered by the Minnesota Wildfire Academy via the Itasca Community College.

Last week, a recent class  was invited to tour the grounds of a private property to identify and help the homeowner reduce risks associated with their land and home.  The students walked around, inspected the area, and make suggestions.  Their recommendations are good starting points for most homes; they included:

Manicuring and maintaining a well-mown lawn around the perimeter of a home or dwelling.  Long grass and shrubbery can become a fire hazard - especially when conditions get dry.  20 to 30 feet of lowed lawn around a building is a good idea.

Brick or stone work around the bottom of a home is a good fire resistor.

Remove piled wood or burnable materials from close to a home.

Wrap wood deck rails or step rails that touch the ground with metal.

Maintain a safe distance between conifer trees and buildings.  Again, 20 to 30 feet is a safe distance.

The Minnesota Wildlife Academy has been providing source material for interested parties for more than 18 years.  Learn more; visit their website by clicking here.