Keep the fires burning but don't forget to douse ashes

Out and About

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Taking care of our own backyards is good, but not good enough if we want to keep and protect the landscape of Calvert County. Good stewardship of the earth means protecting the woods and wild areas that make the county such a good place to live.

I recently received an email from Gary Aronhalt, the Department of Natural Resources forest ranger who works with Firewise Maryland. Aronhalt reminded me that March to May is a major time for Maryland wildfires, because the new growth of the forest canopy isn't developed enough to provide much humidity, and the ground, with last fall's cover of dead leaves and fallen branches, is very dry. Add that to the high winds we've had almost daily, and it's a likely scenario for trouble.

Aronhalt reminds everyone that 98 percent of wildfires in Maryland are caused by humans. The Maryland DNR Forest Service responds to an average of 600 wildfires that burn 3,600 acres annually. And, nearly all wildfires in Maryland are started by people. Unfortunately, fires inadequately doused by careless hunters, hikers and campers are only one primary cause of the state's wildfires.

Surprisingly, what was until recently considered good grounds keeping can be a major culprit. A spring ritual in many places, including Calvert, used to be to rake up and gather all the yard debris from the previous fall and burn it. DNR Forest Services statistics show that such burning is the leading wildfire cause in the state, accounting for more than 30 percent of wildfire beginnings. Open air burning, particularly of household trash, is discouraged in all Maryland jurisdictions. Where open burning is allowable, a person must first notify the appropriate local governing authorities and request a permit, which comes with stringent requirements.

Open burning is a real temptation to homeowners this year, because of all the fallen tree branches that gale winds have broken, but there are alternative ways to dispose of this debris. Composting takes care of most plant debris, and ultimately will result in richer soil for gardening, and for the yard in general. Calvert's recycling centers accept almost all household waste. Large branches make good firewood. Many county residents have fireplaces or woodburning stoves, and would appreciate any donations of burnable wood from neighbors.

When spring cleaning the yard, remember that the undersides of decks are notorious for harboring all kinds of odds and ends, much of it potentially flammable. The pretty plantings around our property can be dangerous if a fire starts anywhere close.

Many trees, shrubs and plants are highly pyrophytic — that is, extremely flammable because of high resin or oil content. Evergreens — pyrophytes — are obvious culprits, but all trees provide large amounts of fuel to a fire, and can burn for hours. Shrubs and most vines also will burn furiously, as will dry lawn and ornamental grasses.

There are ways to minimize the danger of residences catching fire from wildfires in the vicinity. The University of Maryland Extension Service has lists of "firewise" plants that are less likely to burn easily. Native plants are less of a danger, having acclimated to seasonal changes over many generations. There is an Extension Service document available online titled, "Firescaping — Landscape Design for Wildfire Defensible/Survivable Space." This type of landscaping is strongly suggested for homes built in wildfire prone areas. The website address for this and other publications is www.extension.org.

Calvert County luckily isn't at as much risk as the drier western states. However, most of the homes in the county are adjacent either to untended wooded fringe areas, or large wooded tracts of land, which are vulnerable to wildfire in the dry spring and fall seasons. The state and state and local fire services have good information for minimizing a home's exposure, but this means, in many cases, making some changes to the home's landscaping.

A complete landscape makeover probably isn't in the immediate future for most county homes, but anyone planning to plant new trees, or do other landscaping this season would benefit from looking at some of the information available in these DNR and extension publications. They're free, and available online or in printed form from state and local offices. There also are guidelines for creating a "defensible" margin around the house and driveway. This is to create a drivable zone wide enough so that fire or EMT personnel can get into the property, if necessary.

It isn't pleasant to think about potential disasters, but it isn't that hard to spend a little time and thought on prevention. A few relatively simple and inexpensive changes in house- and grounds-keeping, and attention to routine maintenance, can go a long way to making your home a lot less vulnerable.

For further, information, the Calvert County Fire Service Office can be reached at 410-535-1303.