Rural property owners generally pay
lower taxes than city people for the logical reason that they derive
fewer municipal services. That's a fair trade, isn't it? Among
services NOT available to many on-road, (and certainly not for
off-road) properties is subsidized fire protection. This has
implications not only for structural preservation but also for
insurance. Be sure to inquire about both before you buy or rent that
attractive remote property! Then, plan to take charge of your own
fire safety.
To help, most counties, boroughs, and
parishes in the country have a Division of Emergency Services with
useful information pertinent to hazards in that particular region.
Some of the following suggestions are derived from the “Wildfire
Mitigation Program” of my borough in Alaska. In addition, local
fire departments are terrific resources. A local volunteer fireman
actually helped construct some of our early buildings and alerted us
to many of the elements described below. A few years later, in exchange for a hot meal, my
husband flew a local fire chief out to assess the success of our fire
mitigation efforts and any neglected hazards. He even helped us chop
down a huge dry and dying tree! A great resource is Firewise.
Whether your property has existing
buildings or you will build from scratch, plan to assess fire hazards
and find ways to reduce them through prudent use of: (a) firebreaks and landscaping,
b) hardscape, (c) flammable debris removal or storage, (d) well
marked and accessible roads and driveways (if on the road system),
(e) well positioned fire suppression systems (f) primary and
secondary methods to report the emergency, and, finally (g) exit
plans and provisions.
Examples of each below:
a) Firebreaks and Landscape:
The recommended width of a fire break is at least 30 feet around
buildings. (This is referred to as "defensible space zone 1") (However, since fire rises, buildings on a steep slope need to triple that distance below the structures). I have first hand knowledge of the reason. This summer,
the area of Willow, Alaska suffered a wildfire of several thousand acres.
Scores of buildings and vehicles were damaged. About 2,000 people
were evacuated. As we fly low over that area on a regular basis, and
then drive among its roads, we see clear evidence where the fire had
“jumped” narrow roads and driveways but had not crossed broad cul
de sacs, parking lots, or grass air strips. The clearing around
your buildings does not have to be paved or graveled – it can have
landscaping - but those plantings should be intelligently selected
and well maintained.