FireSmart Farms & County Residential Properties

By integrating some basic FireSmart principles into regular farming and ranching practices, you can reduce the potential threat of a wildfire start and limit the impact of a wildfire that threatens your property. Fire Smart farming practices are all about managing vegetation.

1. Cut the grass. A mowed lawn around the yard site and buildings is a fire-resistant lawn. Grasses shorter than 10 centimetres in height are less likely to burn intensely.
2. Grain Fields near or next to building sites should be worked up.
3. If you have hay fields next to the yard, cut them as late in the season as possible to minimize regrowth.
4. Mow a strip next to the building site to act as a fire guard.
5. Allow livestock to graze in the field next to the yard.
6. Till outside the perimeter of pastureland to create a break.

 

Unmanaged fence lines and ditches or roadsides have a large accumulation of grass, weeds, and brush, all of which can act as a wick, carrying intense and rapidly spreading fires into your yard, fields and building sites.

1. Manage the vegetation along fence lines and ditches.
2. Mow these areas at least once in the fall.
3. Herbicide or weed eater can help to minimize vegetation underwires and between posts.
4. Check corral lines and fences to ensure they are free from vegetation.

 

Residences, granaries, barns and outbuildings should incorporate vegetation management strategies to reduce the wildfire threat. Managing vegetation and accumulation of debris or accumulation of combustible materials around yard sites and buildings will significantly reduce the risk of a wildfire and allow access to firefighters and their equipment.

For more information on FireSmart applications or information on controlled Fire Burn operations, please contact the Fire Marshall at Starland County.

Matthew Kiemele, Fire Marshall
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (403) 772-3793