| Wildfire Home Makeover 2007 Contest |
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While many of us dream of getting a call from the television show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Washington County residents had a chance this year for a free home-improvement project that could spare their property from wildfire.
In May, Wildfire Home Makeover 2007 selected a contestant from the wildland-urban interface of the county for a safety makeover inside and out aimed at making the home survivable in the event of a wildfire. There were seven entrants, and the home of Jerrie and Don Kane of North Plains was chosen as the winning entry.
"Out of all the entries we received, their home was judged to be the most vulnerable to wildfire," said Malcolm Hiatt, Oregon Department of Forestry. "Wildland fuels are situated nearby and there is essentially no buffer area around the house to make it survivable."
As Oregon's population continues to expand into forested areas, the threat of wildfire destroying homes as well as the forest resource increases.
The Wildfire Home Makeover 2007 contest was conceived by the Oregon Department of Forestry, and sponsored by local businesses, the insurance industry, and other government agencies to raise awareness of the importance of being "wildfire safe".
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The Kane Residence in North Plains (upper photo); Malcom Hiatt presents winning certificate to Jerrie Kane (lower photo)
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| Benefits of the make-over |
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Kane residence after landscaping has been completed
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The exterior makeover of the Kane's home has included:
- brush removal around the home - creating a 30-foot fire buffer
- removing excess trees ("ladder fuels")
- making the dead-end driveway into a circular drive-way (improving emergency vehicle access)
- new landscaping plants
- a drip irrigation system
- stone pathways
- a safety burn barrel (to replace the current burn pile)
- replacing the wooden walkway with a cement-paver patio
- construction of a new woodshed
The final thing to be completed will be a metal roof on the newly-constructed woodshed (the roof on the residence was already a fire-safe metal roof, made to resemble cedar shingles).
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The front-left-corner of the Kane
residence during construction
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Construction of patio steps
at the Kane residence
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Interior fire-safety improvements included an inspection by the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office, installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinquisher, and a surge-protection power strip.
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| Makeover in Progress |
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The makeover of the Kane residence is almost completed. Below are some photographs that illustrate the work in "before" and "after" scenes.
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Kane residence - Attached Garage ("Before")
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Kane residence - Attached Garage ("After")
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Kane residence - Front Center ("Before")
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Kane residence - Front Center
("After brush removal")
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Kane residence - Woodshed Area ("Before")
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Kane residence - Woodshed Area
("After" brush removal)
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Kane residence -
Woodshed under construction
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Kane residence - New Woodshed
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Kane residence - Wooden walkway ("Before")
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Kane residence - New Stone Paver Path ("After")
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Kane residence - Burn Pile Area ("Before")
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Kane residence - Burn Barrel ("After")
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| Other prizes and runners-up |
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In addition to the Grand Prize winner, four "runners-up" prizes were awarded to Ken and Kris Bilderback of Gaston; Janet Peters, also of Gaston; Chris Tewes of Gales Creek; and Donna Van Dyke of Forest Grove.
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Runners-up Ken and Kris
Bilderback
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Runner-up Janet Peters
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Runner-up Chris Tews
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Runner-up Donna VanDyke
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Each runner-up received a gift certificate from the MetroPaint Store for a free Metro composter; a $100 gift certificate from Farmington Gardens retail nursery; and, a $100 gift certificate from Parr Lumber Company.
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| Sponsors |
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The following businesses, organizations, and agencies participated as sponsors of the Wildfire Home Makeover 2007 Contest:
  
  
  
  
  
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| Learn more . . . |
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A similar contest will be held in 2008 - watch for information in early spring about how to enter.
To learn more about the Wildfire Home Makeover Contest, contact:
Malcolm Hiatt, Protection Unit Forester
Forest Grove District Office
Oregon Department of Forestry
801 Gales Creek Road
Forest Grove, OR 97116-1118
PH: 503-359-7450
email: mhiatt@odf.state.or.us
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| Wildfire Awareness Week |
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A demonstration model of a wildfire-safe home
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Rural or urban . . . forest or grassland . . . high desert or sandy beach . . . our homes are vulnerable to wildfire.
Traditionally, the first full week of May is declared by Oregon's Governor as Wildfire Awareness Week. Throughout Wildfire Awareness Week, state, local and federal fire agencies spread the word about wildfire prevention and the steps Oregonians can take to stop most fires before they start. The Oregon Department of Forestry, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and others who work in wildfire prevention and protection work to also prepare a variety of materials to help with wildfire awareness throughout our state.
In 2007, the Wildlife Awareness Week campaign stressed the use of fire-resistant building materials in the building, remodeling, and retrofitting of structures, in addition to using fire-resistent plants in landscaping and maintaining property - pruning trees and clearing grasses or other vegetation.
As Oregon's population continues to expand into forested areas, more and more residents are at risk from wildfire. These blazes can move rapidly through brush, grass, and trees, and destroy homes as well as take lives. Conversely, the presence of homes and other structures in these wildland areas has increased the number of human-caused fires that spread to the forest and destroy timber and wildlife habitat. With today's technologies, homes can be designed, built, and retrofitted to increase the chance that they will survive a wildfire.
Citizens can learn more about preventing wildfires and protecting their homes by contacting their local fire department, the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Keep Oregon Green Association, and regional offices of the USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
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