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On April 16th Slana Ranger Station and Wrangell-St.
Elias NP/P staff, Alaska Department of Natural Resources,
Division of Forestry and AK NPS Fire Management presented
the first community FIREWISE workshop to 13 Slana residents.
Slana is a small community adjacent to the northwest corner
of Wrangell-St. Elias. After a complimentary breakfast provided
by Slana staff, Vicki Penwell, Slana District Interpretive
Ranger, welcomed the participants and spoke about the significance
of the workshop, especially in light of 2004, Alaska’s
largest fire season. James Savage, Eastern Area Fire Management
Forestry Technician taught the group about the role of wildland
fire, fire management in Alaska and the local fire history.
Morgan Miller, Regional Fire Communication and Education Specialist,
talked about effective FIREWISE strategies that if implemented
around the home, will reduce the risk of wildland fire.
Following a super burrito lunch sponsored
by the Slana Parent Teacher Organization, Pete Dalton, Wrangell-St.
Elias Park Ranger, handed out copies of Fuel Reduction, FIREWISE
special use permits and described that the permit authorizes
work on public land within 100 feet of private landowner structures
that could become endangered in the event of a wildland fire.
Gary Mullen, AK DNR, DOF Copper Center Area Fire Management
Officer spoke about home assessment evaluations the fire suppression
agency provides to the community.
The workshop wrapped up with an interactive
home assessment led by Gary Mullen and based on the Alaska
Wildland Fire Coordinating Group home assessment form. The
evaluation took place at the Freed property on the Nabesna
Road. This property, including structures was bequeathed to
the NPS by a local resident. At the conclusion of the workshop
all who participated agreed that they gained knowledge to
understand and become FIREWISE. This accomplishment could
not have been achieved without the terrific support from Wrangell-St.
Elias, in particular the Slana Ranger Station staff. Thanks
to the staff for the work and time they devoted to making
the Firwise workshop a success.
This new, interactive FIREWISE workshop
is designed for local communities adjacent to or within NPS
units. FIREWISE is a multi-agency effort designed to involve
homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers, and others
in the effort to protect people and property from the risk
of wildland fire – before a fire starts. The FIREWISE
concept emphasizes individual responsibility for safer home
construction and design, landscaping and maintenance.
Slana is the first of four community FIREWISE
workshops that Alaska NPS Fire Management and fire interagency
partners will present this season. Talkeetna and the Murie
Science and Learning Center, a centralized location for residents
from Clear, Anderson, Healy, McKinley Village and Cantwell
to attend, will host workshops in April and McCarthy will
host a workshop in late July.
For more information about Wrangell-St.
Elias fuel reduction, FIREWISE special use permits, please
contact Pete Dalton at (907) 822-7232.
For more information about the community
FIREWISE workshops, please contact Morgan Warthin at (907)
644-3418. |
