This page has information for the participation of Ahwahnee Estates Neighbors in the FireWise program. We participate in this program and continue to work towards making our community more Fire Safe each year.
Our goal is to get all if not the majority of the Ahwahnee Estates Neighbors to participate by cleaning up their properties and following the FireWise advice on how to make your property more Fire Safe.
Please remember to download the FireWise forms and keep track of the hours and money you spend on the effort you make to keep your home Fire Safe. In the fall we will turn these forms in to the FireWise program. Unfortunately this must be done every year to remain in the FireWise program.
Chipping
If it is the first time clearing tree’s including Scrub Oak, Bull Pine, etc. and it is a large job, you may want to consider “Chipping” instead of burning. This has an advantage that it can be spread over property areas cleared for erosion control. This is a bit more expensive but has very good results and reduces the amount of smoke pollution a Burn Pile produces. Also, the larger trunks and larger branches can be cut into firewood for the winter. If you don’t have a wood burning fire place, many churches will take cut seasoned oak and distribute to those that need it.
Burn Pile Information
- Burn only Vegetation that you are clearing to make Fire Safe. This includes small branches from scrub oak, pine, etc.
- DO NOT Burn – Poison Oak, Garbage, Plastic, Lumber or anything that would put harmful chemicals into the air.
- Keep Burn Piles small, no more than 4 feet diameter with at least a 10 foot clearing around the pile. (If you have a lot, you can feed it in as the burn pile fire grows smaller). Have a hose with water available and a metal rake.
- Remember, the wind often comes up in the late afternoon. Watch the burn pile until it is completely out or dowse. Embers can be stirred up again by the wind.
- Don’t forget to get your Burn Permit first, and phone and check if it’s a burn day !!!
FireWise forms
The following are the forms to fill out to track progress and to qualify our neighborhood for the FireWise Program. The first two forms are (1) Madera FireWise Program Individual Risk Assessment (IRA) and (2) Home & Property Questionnaire. They probably only need to be filled out once. Please fill them out and return the pdf form to me by email. Or printed and filled out forms can be returned to me either by USPS Mail, hand delivered or call me and someone will come out and help you fill out the form. The Third Form (3) Volunteer Hourly Worksheet please fill out on this websites page “FireWise_DataIn” and submit every year by October. This will make coalition of the Data much easier on us.
You can down load all of the forms from this site.
