Community preparedness informs public about wildfire prevention, safety

WASILLA — Saturday was the Wildfire Community Preparedness Day at Lowe’s Home Improvement in Wasilla. The Alaska Division of Forestry partnered with State Farm Insurance to educate the community with a new program called, “AK Fire Wise,” a combination of two national programs, “Ready, Set, Go!” and “Firewire.”

With the goal of making a more informed and fire-wise community, the 2017 prep day was an opportunity for families and shoppers to pick up special yellow-tagged discount items such as hoses or sprinklers, goodies for the kids, along with some information and kits to prepare for a disaster.

A giant, inflatable Smokey the Bear, the symbol of forest fire prevention stood outside the entrance by the barbeques. His smaller, livelier counterpart welcomed customers as they neared the fire safety area. Some kids ran to him for a hug, others just ran away.

Left of the front entrance were tables full of giveaways from Hot Shot firefighters, the Division of Homeland Security, State Farm Insurance, and the Alaska Division of Forestry: plastic firefighter hats for small heads, Smokey the Bear Comics and coloring books, frisbees, fire safety checklists, and tree seedlings to name a few.

Douglas Albrecht, the Fire Prevent Program specialist from Alaska Division of Forestry, stood with his booth accompanied by a television. The screen displayed a slideshow of general wildfire safety and prevention, statistics both nationally and locally, and images of decimated landscapes and homes.

This is the second year for the community prep day and Albrecht stressed the importance of homeowners being more educated and prepared for 2017 and onwards, recalling the infamous 2015 Sockeye Fire that burned more than 7,000 acres and destroyed 55 homes.

“…mass evacuation, chaos. People couldn’t get back in, people couldn’t get out, families were separated,” Albrecht said. He stated that in 2015, 5.1 million acres burned in Alaska. He also claimed that currently, there are only 200 firefighters in Alaska covering the “largest fire protection agency in the world.”

The somber reality of Alaska’s streak of wildfires was present that day.

“Firefighters can’t do it by themselves,” Albrecht said. “We have limited resources; we need the homeowner responsibility.”

For more information on wildfire prevention and preparedness, check out the links below: forestry.alaska.gov/fire/current

www.nfpa.org/public-education/campaigns/national-wildfire-community-preparedness-day

www.firewise.org