NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Tom Fay, Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2 (541) 318-0459

(BEND, OR)-- In a program geared to educate and encourage local residents to reduce the risk of wildfire, the FireFree "Get in the Zone" campaign kicks off in March and continues through June, with advertising and public information in television, radio, print and outdoor. Funded by a grant from SAFECO Corporation in partnership with the Bend Fire Department and Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2, the program is also supported by the City of Bend Planning Department, Deschutes National Forest and Oregon Department of Forestry.

Key to the program are two weekend clean-up events April 18-19 and 25-26. "The events on these two weekends will focus on clearing out yard debris around homes and creating a defensible space for firefighters to work safely," said Gary Marshall, City of Bend Fire Marshal. "Homeowners will be able to dispose of yard debris free of charge at the Knott Landfill and at the Demolition Site an the west side during these weekends." The program will focus on reducing fuels in key residential wildland/interface areas with tree chippers provided by local to help in the effort.

Program partner Bend Cable will produce a 30-minute program which will illustrate before and after defensible space on a model home called the FireFree House. This 30-minute program will follow the FireFree Program's ten tips for property owners to create defensible space and will air during the month of April on COTV Bend Cable Channel 11.

"The FireFree public information campaign includes a program video and brochure which outline ten easy tips people can do to create a defensible space around their homes and 'Get in the Zone,'" according to Cheryl McRae of SAFECO Corporation. Brochures and videos will be available to local video stores, libraries and fire stations from March through June. The brochures will also be available at local home and garden centers along with a list of fire resistive plants indigenous to the area.

Organizers hope to prevent huge losses like those that occurred in the 1996 Skeleton Fire and the 1990 Awbrey Hall Fire. This pilot program has been designed so that it can serve as a model and be easily adapted for use in other geographic areas of the West that are susceptible to wildfires.

During the 1996 wildfire season, 218,000 acres burned, 600 homes were threatened and 44 homes were lost statewide. In Bend, the Skeleton Fire alone burned over 17,000 acres and damaged or destroyed 30 homes and structures.

For more information, call the FireFree Program at 541-385-6679.

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