Preparing for Fire Season
Wildfires are a growing threat in the Northwest and a lot of money is spent on fire suppression. But a less costly approach could be to make homes and buildings more resistant to damage. Kate Anderson with Sightline Institute says “fire hardening” is far cheaper and more effective than trying to suppress fires far from a person’s home. However, she says it’s hard to change the mindset that we need to stop every fire and also stop the current “wildfire treadmill” we’re on.
“By fighting every fire for over a century now, we’ve suppressed ourselves into a corner where even a small and innocuous fire can explode into an uncontrollable megafire.”
Anderson believes fire hardening homes and communities is a cornerstone of climate resilience and adaptation. But the next step will be making it the new normal. Fire Hardening consists of many steps including metal or tile roofs, making decks out of fire proof materials, keeping gutters free from leaves and other combustible materials and creating a defensible space around your home. Fire season for Lane County is about a month away.
City Council Meeting
The Florence City Council is slated to meet this evening at 5:30 at City Hall. On the agenda for tonight’s meeting will be a proposal for street closure for the upcoming Rhododendron Festival. The council is also considering a permanent Café’ parking permit program to allow for businesses to use parking spaces located in front of their establishments for additional seating. The program came about as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, but the city will vote on a permanent change to the city ordinance. The city will also consider a No Mow May initiative to allow for pollinators to have adequate resources to allow bees, butterflies and grasshoppers enough foraging. The City of Florence will also have a send off for retiring city employee Eric Rines and an Honor Flight proclamation and announce planning commission appointments. City meetings are live and in person, but streaming options are available at ci.florence.or.us.
Pet Chipping
If you have a pet, you might want to consider getting it chipped. The Oregon Coast Humane Society is offering a low-cost microchip and vaccine clinic on Saturday April 29th. Chips are $40 and vaccines are $20. Executive Director of the humane society, Elizabeth Thompson says vets are experiencing increased visits for disease in animals and vaccines are the way to curb a lot of them. You can call the Humane Society for an appointment.