The Puget Sound shoreline climate moderates our risk of community-destroying wildfires like the ones this month in the Los Angeles area.
However, our isolation as a ferry-only island means if we need help from the mainland, additional firefighting resources are at least an hour away. In the hour it could take for help to arrive, a small fire could grow and spread to adjacent homes, possibly overwhelming local firefighting efforts.
That’s the special wildfire risk to Vashon. Losing even a few houses would be a big disaster for our small community.
“The first hour of a wildland fire is critical — especially in forested areas where flames can spread rapidly,” said Ben Davidson, deputy chief of Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR). “Over the past few years, we have worked diligently to enhance our readiness, and we’ve made tremendous progress. The majority of our personnel now hold Red Card wildland firefighting certifications. We’ve modernized our equipment, tailoring it specifically to meet the unique conditions of Vashon and the demands of wildland fires. Additionally, our response times have significantly improved thanks to increased on-duty staffing levels and the opening of a second staffed fire station.”
As we know from the devastating fires in Los Angeles, fire weather conditions determine the ferocity of a wildland fire. For that reason, a town-destroying wildfire is pretty unlikely for Vashon.
Extremely dangerous fire weather conditions drove this month’s devastating Palisades and Eaton Canyon fires in Southern California. But here on Vashon, we don’t often experience the hot, dry east (Diablo or Santa Ana type) winds that blow 60 or even 100 miles per hour, suck humidity out of brush and trees, and spread fire with explosive force. Rather, the island usually has overnight cooling weather and humidity from Puget Sound.
However, increased fire risk to Vashon is possible as the climate crisis intensifies in the coming years.
Prepare Your Home
You can significantly reduce the chances that a wildland fire will spread to your home by taking a few simple steps.
Move flammable objects at least 30 feet from your home. Woodpiles, lawn furniture, wood mulch, and construction materials can easily catch fire and spread to the building.
Clean your roof, gutters, and decks of leaves and other flammables. Windblown embers spread fires, so remove anything that could provide tinder and ignite.
Screen vents, eaves, and under decks from embers by covering the openings with 1/8” wire mesh.
Clear dead vegetation at least five feet from your home. Embers could turn into spot fires, which could spread to your house.
Prune nearby limbs at least six to ten feet above ground to prevent ground fire from laddering up trees and spreading crown to crown.
Have a plan to reunify your family and pets if separated during an emergency evacuation.
All consumer fireworks are illegal on Vashon. Don’t use fireworks at home. Instead, consider the annual community fireworks at Quartermaster Harbor.
Stay Informed
If a fire breaks out, get information on its status and how to stay safe. Go to Voice of Vashon 1650AM and facebook.com/VoiceOfVashon for bulletins on sheltering in place, seeking a safe haven, or evacuating. Sign up for the island’s Emergency Alert System to get email updates: tinyurl.com/AlertsVoV
Watch the fire danger signs around the island, comply with burn bans, and be extra alert when the pointer moves into the red high danger zone. Call 911 to report fires.
Make a Household Evacuation Plan
It would be impossible to evacuate the whole island quickly. Plus, many variables go into an evacuation. If the wind blows a fire in the wrong direction, a pre-designated evacuation location could send residents toward danger instead of away from it.
You need a household evacuation plan.
Agree on a meeting point. It should be a location outside high-risk areas.
Plan two or more escape routes in case your main road access is blocked. One of the escape routes should be on foot, in case driving is impossible. Make sure everyone in the household knows the routes and practices them.
Make specific plans for pets and large animals such as horses.
Agree on a family communication strategy. A family communication strategy names someone outside the area as the main contact point for all family members if you get separated or have trouble with phone networks.
Have a go kit ready. Put critical supplies in a backpack in case you need to leave on foot. Traffic jams might make it impossible to leave by car.
Gather important papers and scan them to your phone. Put the scans on a thumb drive and keep it in your go kit. Store the scans securely online as well.
Remember the “Six Ps of Evacuation.” In the chaos of evacuation, try to focus on the most important things. You can use the Six Ps memory trick from ReadyForWildfire.org.
• People and pets
• Papers, phone numbers, and important documents
• Prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses
• Pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia
• Personal computer, hard drive and disks
• Plastic (credit cards, ATM cards) and cash
Here are some links to websites that offer additional, in-depth advice for each category on the Six P evacuation checklist:
• Preparing for a wildfire emergency: redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/wildfire.html
• Preparing your home: nfpa.org/education-and-research/wildfire
• Being ready for an evacuation: readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/wildfire-action-plan