Fire Season Arrives
With wildfire season closely upon us, there is added concern that we are starting off in a drier state this season. Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue Captain Tony Miller says there are things you can do to protect your home in the event of a wildfire. Zero to five feet from the house you should remove accelerants like dry brush, and then from 5 to 30 feet
“Spacing some trees out maybe thinning them up a little bit.”
Miller says the dry brush and dead plants close to the ground are the biggest worry for homeowners, because they provide fuel that will eventually burn the trees. As you get out around 100 feet from you house you can do more to protect your property.
“Clearing those trees from the ground up, limbing them up just a little bit, 8-10 feet is what is suggested
May is Wildfire preparedness month. SVFR.org has tips available for how to prevent wildfires. Miller says one of the biggest contributors wildfires are brush piles that get out of control.
New COVID-19 Cases
Over the weekend there were 3 new reported cases of the Coronavirus in Lane County. Lane County Health is reporting that two of the additions came on Friday and Saturday. Their website at Lanecounty.org is showing the number 60 on its totals the latest from Sunday. There have been 6 new deaths attributed to the coronavirus since Friday. The three most recent were reported on Saturday of a 76 year old woman from Clackamas County, an 81 year old man from Linn County and a 92 year old woman from Polk County, all three had underlying health conditions. The total number of confirmed cases is now 3,228, but is likely to climb even higher today. As of this morning 127 deaths have been blamed on COVID-19 in Oregon.
Virtual Rhody Fest
Over the weekend the Governor’s office has been pouring through requests from counties across the state as many cities and municipalities are gearing up for phase one of the reopening of Oregon. On Friday, Lane County submitted its request to reopen, stating that it had all the measures in place to safely begin commerce. Here in Florence the city would normally be preparing for a Rhododendron Festival, and while it has been cancelled, over the weekend there was a mock Car Cruise put on by the Rhody Cruisers with some local bikers lining Bay Street to cheer them on. Members of the city were on hand to video tape the procession for a virtual Rhody Parade that will be displayed online at noon this Sunday.
School Board Meeting
This Wednesday, the Siuslaw School District will meet virtually, and will hope to approve their more than 27 million dollar budget for the upcoming school year. With many unknowns due to the effect of the coronavirus on state funding, school superintendent Andy Grzeskowiak is proposing a rate freeze for himself for the upcoming academic calendar. The public is invited to join the zoom meeting at Siuslaw.zoom.us.