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Dr. Richard Crawford - Bio
14548 Highway H
Mt. Vernon, MO 65712-9523
Phone: 417-466-2148
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Email: crawfordr@missouri.edu

Missourians Must Come to Grips with Wildfire Danger

Missourians need to make wildfire preparedness part of their home and business maintenance routines, says the Missouri Department of Conservation, and the agency has information to help them do it.

Ice storms in 2007 and 2008 brought down countless trees and branches in rural woodlands and suburban areas over the past two years. Tornadoes added to the damage in some areas. The result was millions of tons of woody debris lying on the ground, even before the recent ice storm that devastated much of southeast and south-central Missouri. Conservation officials say this situation creates perfect conditions for wildfires.

"The amount of woody debris is 10 times greater than normal in many areas, and branches have had a year or two to dry out in some areas," said Forestry Field Programs Supervisor Bill Altman. "The extra fuel means fires will burn hotter and spread more easily. These extra fuels also make fire fighting more difficult and dangerous. It would be hard to overstate the seriousness of this situation."

Altman is especially concerned now, because late winter and early spring are Missouri’s fire season. Dry, windy weather dries out fallen leaves and grasses. Wildfires spread rapidly at this time of year. The danger of wildfire remains high until grasses green up and tree leaves appear, shading the ground. Altman said Missouri will remain at higher than normal risk of wildfire until the excessive downed woody debris decays. That, he said, will take years.

In the meantime, Missourians need to be extra careful with fire and take measures to protect their homes and businesses. To help people prevent and prepare for fires, the Conservation Department has a free publication titled "Living with Wildfire."

The eight-page booklet has information about reducing fire risk to homes, outbuildings, businesses, automobiles and other equipment. It has sections explaining where fire risk is greatest, how to create "defensible space" around property, landscaping to minimize fire danger, fire-resistant building materials and more. There is even a checklist property owners can use to make sure they have covered all the bases.

To receive a copy, write to MDC, Living with Wildfire, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 or e-mail pubstaff@mdc.mo.gov.

The Conservation Department also has a Home Wildfire Hazard Assessment checklist to help homeowners assess their exposure. This is available at www.mdc.mo.gov/16526.

For information about how to burn leaves and woody debris safely, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/16527 or write to MDC, Wildfire: The Next Storm, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 or e-mail pubstaff@mdc.mo.gov