Agencies promote wildfire awareness with local communities
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A partnership of federal land managers, local fire departments, and Idaho Firewise has announced the Every Yard Counts (EYC) Campaign, an effort to raise awareness about wildfires in the wildland-urban interface and what can be done to protect homes in southwest Idaho.
The Every Yard Counts Campaign focuses on creation of defensible space – the critical distance between a home and the potentially flammable brush and vegetation that can surround one’s property. The program aims to promote effective fire-resistant landscaping strategies to communities and individual homeowners to combat the increasing threat caused by wildland fire.
To do this, officials have teamed up with local businesses.
“We felt the best strategy was to reach out and include local nurseries, retail stores, landscape professionals and even homeowners associations,” said Bureau of Land Management Fire Mitigation Specialist Keri Steneck. “The response has been very positive, with many homeowners and businesses wanting to be involved and part of the solution.”
Free public seminars will be held on May 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Main Boise Public Library located at 715 S. Capitol Boulevard in Boise. These sessions will show homeowners how to design a fire-resistant landscape, apply for hazardous fuels reduction grants, and will introduce them to the Ada Fire-Adapted Community program.
There will also be a free training and certification course held for landscape design and architecture professionals on May 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Idaho Botanical Garden Guard House at 2355 N Old Penitentiary Rd in Boise.
Early registration for these seminars and trainings is strongly encouraged and can be done online at the following links:
- EYC Seminar on May 23, from 1-3 p.m.: https://form.jotform.com/73307209965159
- EYC Seminar on May 23, from 6-8 p.m.: https://form.jotform.com/80798176353165
- Landscape Designer & Architect EYC Training and Certification Course, May 21 from 2-4 p.m.: https://form.jotform.com/81144262753151
- Landscape Designer & Architect EYC Training and Certification Course, May 21 from 6-8 p.m.: https://form.jotform.com/81144880453154
For any questions, please contact the EYC Campaign at: EYC@idahofirewise.org or Brett Van Paepeghem, Southern Idaho Project Manager for Idaho Firewise at 208-373-3854.
#EveryYardCounts
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.