By Mel Crichton EBS COLUMNIST
The latest North American wildfire forecast is out, and I’d like to tell you that Big Sky can breathe easy this summer, that we don’t need to worry about wildfire. I’d like to. But I can’t.
Compared to the last few years, our wildfire outlook is for more heat and less rain. You probably know that kind of weather creates more fuel for fires. Beginning in July, we can expect more severe wildfire conditions in Montana than in the recent past. And, true to recent history, Idaho and places west are expected to be hotter and drier than before, likely leading to more wildfire smoke coming our way.
So again, like a broken record, we repeat the message: “be prepared.” It’s time to move that firewood stash away from the house, time to clean those gutters of pine needles that could ignite and burn under your roof, time to clear away the juniper bushes in your zero-to-5-foot zone that can easily burst into flame and set your siding ablaze.
Have you signed up for county emergency notifications via Everbridge? Will your go-kit be ready when it’s time to evacuate? Do you even know what goes into your go-kit? Do you have plans for your pets? Do you have neighbors needing help to evacuate?
What about airborne smoke from neighboring states? Do you know to check local air quality at AirNow? How much smoke is dangerous? How will you deal with it? Are there people in your household with respiratory issues? Do you have a room HEPA air purifier? Can you make one if you need to?
To paraphrase Saturday Night Live’s Roseanne Roseannadanna from the late 1970s, I sure ask a lot of questions for a guy from Purdue. If you attended our Big Sky community wildfire seminars in March these questions were answered, as they will be at our upcoming seminar on Monday, June 23 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center and online. Find the videos on our Fire Adapted Big Sky YouTube channel.
There’s not enough newsprint to answer all your questions here. Your family’s safety and your home’s survival are up to you. We can lead you to the information you need, but you have to act on it. We can’t force you to get a home wildfire risk assessment. We can’t drive you to safety in a wildfire. The fire department and sheriff will be busy moving people, clearing the way, and preventing chaos. You can choose to act responsibly and not add to the chaos. It’s amazing how much calmer you will feel during evacuation when you are prepared.
If you need help preparing for wildfire, contact your neighborhood ambassador. There’s a list of NAs on the Big Sky Wildfire Resources Facebook page, along with much more wildfire safety and home mitigation info. If you don’t do Facebook, check out the Fire Adapted Big Sky Wildfire Hub and the Big Sky Fire Department’s Wildland site on your web browser. If you still need answers, contact Big Sky Fire Department or me.
One day Big Sky will see a wildfire up close and personal. Let’s hope that day is a long way off, and we are ready for it.
Mel Crichton is neighborhood ambassador for Aspen Groves and coordinates the Big Sky NA program. You can reach him a kj9c@arrl.net.
