We bought our land in 1976, at the end of a 20-year drought. We were lucky enough to have good precipitation for the next couple of decades, and the trees looked happy.
2004
Then the drought came back and some of the trees started dying. A federal “Fire Wise” program offered to pay two-thirds of the money it cost to thin trees to their standards, so we thinned the trees around the house and shed.
2007
It didn’t do any good, of course, when the fire came and we were hit by the hottest part of it.
2011
Before we had the suggested 25-foot defensible space around the house. Now we have the new recommendation of 100-feet around the house, shed, and greenhouse.
2020
Fingers crossed.
April 30, 2020
always fingers crossed.
no more fires.
no more! xoxo
agree…
We’re doing the best we can. We would like to fireproof the shed and install lightning protection on the greenhouse and shed this year, but we don’t know if the coronavirus will get in the way. We will let you know!
Fire is SO scary! The 100 foot radius makes sense but I hope you never have to find out if it works.
We do too!
The trees would be wonderful but in a fire it would be scary being surrounded by them.
Yes! Unfortunately trees and droughts and fires are a bad combination.
I, too, hope you never have to find out if it works. You cannot imagine the number of times it has crossed my mind when we come home…the thought goes through my mind how terrible it would be to come home and find our home burned to the ground.
Were you guy there till the last minute or had you left early to be safe?
I was down here and Andy saw it coming in time to get out. Here’s a picture he took of our place goingn up in flames as he was driving out.
I know it is only a place, but had to break your heart a little bit, while at the same time being thankful no life was lost.
A defensible space of 100 feet sounds a lot, but presumably you already have that amount of space around your various buildings? As you say, fingers crossed you won’t see a fire like that again.
We paid to have it done: https://cheerfulmonk.com/2019/11/17/clearing-a-defensible-space-i/
Such a shame the damage fire can do. We hope the new rules bring a better season.
Woos, Lightning and Timber
Thank you. 🙂