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The national database of state and local wildfire hazard mitigation programs
serves as a clearinghouse of information about nonfederal policies and
programs that seek to reduce the risk of loss of life and property through
the reduction of hazardous fuels on private lands. If
you would like to submit a program to the national wildfire programs database,
please complete the following form (MS
Word).
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Title: |
Kansas Public Information Program
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Type: |
Education
Demonstration projects
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Jurisdiction: |
State
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State: |
Kansas
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Program Description: |
Background
Kansas is a prairie state, and wildfires are natural to the prairie. Historically, fire has naturally restricted the growth of brush and trees, and promoted the growth of grasses. During the period, 1991-1995, wildfires in Kansas burned an average of 138,288 acres and caused an estimated $2.9 million in damage to property annually.
Website Information
Kansas Forest Service provides public information on wildfire mitigation in brochure handouts, and on its website.
Kansas Forest Service is building a mobile Information & Education trailer which will be used at home shows and fairs to bring information to the public and large public events. Kansas' public information documents educate the public about the dangers of wildfire and about firewise living.
"Protecting Your Property from Wildfire", explains the basics of a firewise home environment, including recommending the use of non-combustible building materials, and maintaining a 30 foot fire buffer zone of low, green vegetation around the home, free of dead wood and ladder fuels.
The Fire Hazard Test, "Is Your Home Safe from Wildfire?", asks homeowners to self-assess their homes for fire hazards and fire prevention activities Filling in the blanks on the test will give you a rating on the fire safety of your home.
Another good tool on the Kansas Forests Service website is called "Protect Your Home". This document explains how fire will ignite a home, looking at fire radiation, conduction, and convection, structural location, construction materials, and density. This shows homeowners that the responsibility of making their homes non-combustible rests with them. "Protect Your Home" also discusses firefighters' considerations for fire triage. The five triage decision factors are:
1. firefighter safety, does the property offer a safe place to work;
2. the structure's susceptibility to fire;
3. fuel loading around the building--houses with the best defensible space will get priority protection;
4. behavior of the fire;
5. available resources.
The document then discusses defensible space and lays out the 30' model, recommending that the first 30' around the structure be kept lean (small amounts of vegetation), clean (no accumulated of dead vegetation or debris), and green (plants healthy and watered). Other topics discussed in the brochure are, fire fighting water sources, access requirements, and use of fire breaks in undeveloped areas.
Contact Information
For more information on Kansas' wildfire mitigation program, contact Casey McCoy.
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