Bob Knorr
May is Wildfire Awareness Month.
The April 2, Quail Creek Wildfire Awareness event brought many residents to the crystal ballroom to learn about wildfire risks and what is being done to reduce these risks here at Quail Creek. Experts from Ariz. forestry and fire management offices (DFFM) and the University of Ariz., as well as the Santa Rita fire district and our own Robson Facilities office and Quail Creek firewise task force, presented information on topics ranging from wildfire risk reduction work on the experimental range next to Quail Creek to work our Quail Creek landscapers are doing and planning that will further reduce our wildfire risks. In addition to the presentations, an hour-long question & answer discussion focused on specific homeowner concerns.
Here are some highlights:
Overgrown Natural Areas Behind Homes
Some residents expressed concerns about potential wildfire risks to their homes due to natural areas that were overgrown. Tim Fudge, Robson Communities director of facilities, displayed maps where landscapers are currently working to thin overgrown areas and plans for future work.
Bob Knorr of the firewise task force stressed that the effort to reduce wildfire risks will be a long-term effort. Hayes Galitski of the task force pointed out that the three year action plan for risk reduction is now available on the Quail Creek firewise webpage and the task force will work with Tim on ways to best keep residents updated on the ongoing efforts of the landscapers.
Invasive Grasses Present a High Wildfire Risk
Jessie Warner of DFFM discussed how our natural desert had many open spaces around saguaros and other trees and plants, but that invasive grasses are filling those spaces, greatly enabling the spread of wildfires.
Ben Tully of the U of A cooperative extension emphasized how invasive grasses burn three times hotter than other Sonoran Desert plants (up to 1700 degrees—hot enough to melt aluminum) with flames up to 20 feet high.
Homeowners Can Help Reduce the Risk of Damage to their Home
Mike Deleskiewicz of DFFM pointed out that, as important as thinning overgrown natural areas and removing invasive grasses are, the most effective thing to reduce the chance of home ignition is for homeowners to focus on the space that is zero to five feet from their home. These include not having flammable plants and material within five feet of a structure, pruning trees that overhang a structure, spreading landscape plants apart so there is not a continuous blanket of plants (like creating small fire breaks), and ensuring 1/8 inch screens cover roof and other vents.
The presentation slides from the event can be viewed on the Quail Creek Firewise webpage www.quailcreekhoa.org/group/quail-creek-hoa/firewise-program. Residents are urged to visit the webpage for ongoing efforts to reduce wildfire risks by Quail Creek and for recommendations on how homeowners themselves can reduce the risk of fire damage to their homes. (Note: The firewise webpage requires homeowners to log in in order to view some information.)