As a staggering number of fires burn through California, many people are already asking the question of what can be done to lessen the impact of these annual outbreaks. While for many it's too late to take preventative measures this summer, the truth is that there are short and long-range solutions that communities can start focusing on now.

We're writing to urge you to editorialize, and consider article ideas, on two key lessons learned from the early start to the 2008 fire season so that fewer tragedies unfold in 2009. The items below focus on what homeowners and communities can do in their back yards. The list also includes the idea of supporting two very promising bills championed by California Senator Dianne Feinstein and others in this 110th Congress. Implementing these solutions can make life safer for homeowners and firefighters - protecting people and property.

The Wilderness Society is working in collaboration with local governments, fire departments, land managers and other partners to make sure communities will be safe over the long term. Please contact TWS forest and fire specialist Rich Fairbanks if you would like to discuss editorial or article ideas in more detail.

Lesson 1: Homeowners can take action to provide defensible space between their homes and forests. The science is clear, treating homes and the lands immediately surrounding them is the key to saving lives and protecting property.

• Reduce small-diameter surface fuels. Flammable surface material, like leaves and brush, that is less than three inches in diameter (the 0 to 3-inch fuels) is what flames spread through. Mow it, rake it, chip it, pile and burn it, but reduce the amount however possible.
• Increase tree canopy base height. In forested areas, the distance between the surface fuels (see above) and the aerial fuels (vegetation like tree branches that are suspended above the ground surface) is critical. The greater the distance between these two fuel components, the less chance there is for a fire to reach the tree crown. Crown fires can kill entire stands of trees, and are very often unstoppable. So if you live in a forested place, prune those lower branches aggressively, taking care to also remove  dead branches. Cut a few of the small scraggly understory trees, and get some separation between the tree crowns and the surface fuels.
• Thin to reduce tree crown bulk density. In densely forested areas and in brushlands, much of the fuel available to burn is the finely divided leaves and twigs in the crown of the plant. So thin out trees to stop the spread of fire from crown to crown. In brush, you may want to consider cutting corridors through brushfields, rather than thinning, especially if your local brush species are vulnerable to snowdown or snowbreak.
• Leave the big trees. Generally, leave the largest individual trees of the most fire-resistant species. With crowns high above the ground and thick trunks that are often clad in thick bark, these trees may actually slow the spread and reduce the intensity of a flaming front as it approaches your house. In the long-term, these large trees give your property "fire permeability" or the ability of fire to safely pass through an area without damaging structures or killing the dominant trees. If you do have a wildfire, the big trees can actually shield your home from some of the radiant heat from the wildfire, and are the ones most likely to survive the flames' passage. They will shade your home from solar radiation and keep the brush down while the forest around your home regenerates. So leave the biggest trees standing.
• Modify the fuels adjacent to the house. Decks, fences and other flammable manmade constructions need to be designed or located so they do not "wick" fire into the house. Keep grasses mown or cut.
• Don't forget the obvious. Houses are, in a sense, just another type of fuel for fires. Take precautions to reduce your home's ignitability. Clear leaves and pine needles from roofs and gutters. Move stacked firewood away from the house.
• Learn more about this subject at firewise.org.

Lesson 2: California residents can work with their local governments to pass the kinds of zoning and regulation measures that will prevent fire tragedies.

• The science of fire resistant building construction has come a long way of late. Forward-thinking building codes can greatly reduce the likelihood of a home burning.
• Zoning to slow the growth of fire risk can greatly reduce home losses and increase the safety of firefighters.
• Communities can develop their own zoning and regulations using fire safe councils, fire managers and community members rather than relying on developers and county planning commissions.
• Californians should support two bills now before Congress:

Additional Information

• Learn about a range of wildland fire topics by visiting the wildland fire section of The Wilderness Society's website.
• Sign up for a monthly email newsletter on wildland fire.