Many landowners are motivated right now to improve and maintain the defensible space around their homes. Fall and winter are great seasons to accomplish some of this work. OSU Extension has resources to help you get started. Start by reviewing The Home Ignition Zone: Protecting Your Property from Wildfire, EM9247. Use this publication to review the defensible space around your home. Print out the worksheet located at the end of the publication, grab a pencil and assess the condition of your property, jot down the areas that need improvement in the follow-up actions list. Use this list to help you prioritize your tasks. Consider taking some before and after photos to help you see how much you accomplished. https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/em9247.pdf

Check out this great video on how to make your home and property fire-safe from Keep Oregon Green and the Oregon Department of Forestry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufi3rFFh1MM

Are you wondering how to dispose of woody material? Check out Reducing Hazardous Fuels on Woodland Property, Disposing of Woody Material: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1574

Many more resources are available in OSU Extension’s Before Wildfire Strikes webpage:https://extension.oregonstate.edu/forests/fire/wildfire-strikes