Smoky sunset.
The Seeley Lake area is no stranger to wildfire and smoke. Both are a seasonal hazard here and can be unpredictable. We never know exactly where a lightning bolt will strike or a campfire will be left to wander, and often the smoke filling our valley comes from hundreds of miles away - beyond our control and reach. While there is a lot about wildfires that we individually cannot control, we can work to be prepared for the inevitability of their occurrence and effects. We know that it is not a matter of "if," but "when" and so we can, at the very least, be prepared.
Preparedness starts at home by being ready for both smoke and wildfire. Last week was Missoula County's Smoke Ready Week, which emphasized knowing how to deal with the realities of wildfire smoke. The following is excellent advice from Missoula County Fire Protection Association member Sarah Coefield, air quality specialist with Missoula Public Health:
"Wildfire smoke is bad for everyone, but it does not impact everyone equally. Smoke is particularly harmful to children, the elderly, pregnant people and people with heart and lung disease. There are also people who cannot escape smoke by retreating to an indoor space with cleaner air - outdoor workers, wildland firefighters, the unhoused and those who may not have access to filtered air even indoors. Altogether, a significant portion of our community is at heightened risk every time smoke rolls into our valleys."
So, how can you know what's happening to your air? Thankfully, there are several ways you can stay on top of current air quality:
Check Montana's Today's Air website (todaysair.mt.gov) for hourly PM2.5 data at permanent monitoring stations around the state.
Check EPA's Fire and Smoke Map (fire.airnow.gov) for hourly PM2.5 data at permanent monitoring stations, temporary monitors and PurpleAir sensors across the country.
No monitor near your location? Look outside! If you can't see five miles, the air quality is unhealthy. If you can't see two miles, it's very unhealthy.
Consider investing in a consumer-grade particulate sensor. These are rarely as accurate as permanent monitors, but they can do an excellent job tracking air quality changes over time. If your sensor indicates air quality is deteriorating, take steps to clean the indoor air or reduce your activity levels.
Bookmark MissoulaCounty.us/CurrentAQ for daily wildfire smoke forecasts specific to the Missoula County area (complete with satellite imagery and dumb smoke jokes!)
In addition to checking the air quality, pay attention to how your body responds to the smoke. Human health is a spectrum; people will respond differently to wildfire smoke. Also, the longer a smoke event drags on, the less smoke you'll likely be able to tolerate. If you're noticing shortness of breath/wheezing/etc., respect that signal and take steps to reduce your smoke exposure.
For more information visit MontanaWildfire Smoke.org and stay healthy this fire season.
Another way to be prepared for wildfire is to have an evacuation plan for you, your family and your pets/livestock. Critical components of an evacuation plan include:
1. Plan two ways out of your home and neighborhood or community and practice them.
2. Sign up for emergency alerts at Smart911.com.
3. Pack a "go bag" for every family member and pets.
4. Have a plan for pets and livestock - arrange now for a place to take your livestock if evacuating and talk with neighbors about helping with your pets and livestock if evacuations are ordered and you are out-of-town.
5. Complete a home inventory, of both interior and exterior, and include in your go bag or save online. A video log will work too!
6. Know where to go for information on current wildfires (www.MTFireInfo.org).
Both http://www.mcfpa.org and http://www.mtfireinfo.org are great resources for more information.
Protecting your home and property is another way to prepare for wildfires and can be done through evaluation of your Home Ignition Zone. The HIZ covers your home and the 100 feet surrounding it and comprises three sub-zones: immediate (zero to five feet), intermediate (five-30 feet) and extended (30 to 100 feet). The immediate zone includes the structure itself and the first five feet surrounding it. It is the most important zone to address to increase the survivability of your home. The goal is to reduce ignitability, which means cleaning roofs and gutters, boxing in eaves, removing combustible material from around the home (bark mulch, pine needles, etc.) and moving the firewood pile off the front deck (and 30 feet from any structure).
There are also programs within the Seeley-Swan, Potomac and Ovando areas to help landowners reduce their wildfire risk by offering financial and technical assistance to help with reducing hazardous fuels and improve forest health. Clearwater Resources Council can assist landowners in the Seeley Lake area, Swan Valley Connections can assist landowners north of Summit Lake to Bigfork, and the Blackfoot Challenge covers the Ovando-Potomac area. To apply for financial assistance with their programs and to learn more, please visit their websites. The Fire Safe Swan working group has created a website that hosts fire information and landowner resources at firesafeswan.com.
An easy way to get started is to obtain a free wildfire risk site visit, which can be scheduled at http://www.MTFireInfo.org. A local fire professional will discuss with you your home and property's wildfire risk and recommend ways to reduce that risk. The visits are purely informational and there is no obligation to follow the recommendations provided (though we hope you will).
Wildfires will always create risk, especially in a landscape where homes meet wildlands so frequently, but that does not mean we cannot reduce that risk. Being prepared and taking steps to prevent unnecessary damage to property is the best way the public can be ready for wildfires and smoke.
Reader Comments(0)