It's hard to think about the threat of wildfires when the rain is pouring down, but believe it or not, wildfire season is quickly approaching. Here are some wildfire tips from "The Guide to Emergency Management and Homeland Security."
Wildfires can be classified by the fuel they burn:
Crown fires burn through treetops and forest canopy.
Ladder fires burn between the ground and canopies, involving vines, small trees and ferns, etc.
Surface fires burn leaves, grasses, fallen limbs and other material along a forest floor.
Ground fires burn subterranean roots and other buried matter. A ground fire smolders rather than burns, and sometimes can go on for months.
Note: a single wildfire can have more than one of these types of fires burning at the same time.
What We Can Do
Only start an open fire, such as a campfire or leaf fire, at times and places where it is legal. Check with local authorities if you are not sure. Never burn a fire where it could spread to trees or other vegetation. Never leave a fire unattended.
If you have a home in a wooded area, particularly one prone to wildfires, make sure to follow local building codes. Use fire resistant materials such as non-wood roofing, brick and metal siding. Create a safe-zone around the home, free of highly combustible vegetation. Stone walls and swimming pools can help. Keep the gutters free of dead vegetation and trees clear of dead wood and moss.
When a Wildfire is Approaching
Wildfire are very dangerous to both property and people in their path. A hot, dry wind can propel a fire rapidly through a forest, with flames even jumping across roadways. If you live near where a wildfire is burning, keep abreast of news reports. Evacuate when advised to by authorities.
You can help protect your home by removing any combustible items around the house. Take down flammable drapes and curtains. Close blinds and other non-combustible window coverings. Shut all doors and windows to prevent drafts. Wet down your home and, if possible, put a sprinkler on the roof and leave it running. Seal attic and other vents with plywood or other material. Valuables that won't be damage by water might be put in a pool or pond until the danger has passed.
If you are caught outside in a wildfire, try to find a body of water or open or rocky area to crouch or lie in. Wet down your clothes or cover them with soil. Breathe air close to the ground with a wet cloth over your face.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Paper Crane Project
From: David Freece, Cowlitz County Historical Museum Director
For eight years Patty Wood has been folding paper cranes in memory of American troops killed in the Iraq War. The wings of the nearly 4,500 cranes each bear the name, age and rank of an American military service member. Fifty cranes to a string, they hung in her Kelso home. The project was a way to remind her three daughters about the ongoing war. She wanted to pay homage, pay tribute to the men and women serving in Iraq. Now that the war has ended she is taking the cranes down. They will be displayed at the museum beginning May 24th through the summer.
The museum is both honored and humbled to display these cranes. Cowlitz County has a long history of recognizing the military. Patty Wood’s memory crane project is one of the most recent along with the memorial being planned to honor Longview’s Mikayla Bragg who died in Afghanistan on December 20, 2011.
A short program has been planned at the museum on Thursday May 24 at 7:00 p.m. Patty Wood will talk about the memory cranes she created, and museum staff will add information about how Cowlitz County has paid tribute to the military in the past.
On Saturday, May 26 all families are welcome to stop by the museum between 12pm and 4pm for Memorial Day crafts and actives. Learn how to make paper cranes to remember our fallen troops, as well as flags and flowers to place on the grave of our solders on Memorial Day. The event is free but children must be accompanies by an adult.
We hope you can join us for one or both of these events.
For eight years Patty Wood has been folding paper cranes in memory of American troops killed in the Iraq War. The wings of the nearly 4,500 cranes each bear the name, age and rank of an American military service member. Fifty cranes to a string, they hung in her Kelso home. The project was a way to remind her three daughters about the ongoing war. She wanted to pay homage, pay tribute to the men and women serving in Iraq. Now that the war has ended she is taking the cranes down. They will be displayed at the museum beginning May 24th through the summer.
The museum is both honored and humbled to display these cranes. Cowlitz County has a long history of recognizing the military. Patty Wood’s memory crane project is one of the most recent along with the memorial being planned to honor Longview’s Mikayla Bragg who died in Afghanistan on December 20, 2011.
A short program has been planned at the museum on Thursday May 24 at 7:00 p.m. Patty Wood will talk about the memory cranes she created, and museum staff will add information about how Cowlitz County has paid tribute to the military in the past.
On Saturday, May 26 all families are welcome to stop by the museum between 12pm and 4pm for Memorial Day crafts and actives. Learn how to make paper cranes to remember our fallen troops, as well as flags and flowers to place on the grave of our solders on Memorial Day. The event is free but children must be accompanies by an adult.
We hope you can join us for one or both of these events.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Map Your Neighborhood Training
"Map Your Neighborhood" (MYN) is a program designed to help neighborhoods prepare for disaster. Working together as a team and contributing as an individual helps develop stronger communities.
MYN training will be held on Thursday, June 14th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the PUD Auditorium at 961 12th Ave in Longview. To take advantage of this FREE learning opportunity, contact Jennifer Engkraf, Emergency Management Coordinator, at 577-3130 or by email at DEM@co.cowlitz.wa.us.
You will learn:
- The 9 steps to take following a disaster
- How to develp a neighborhood skills and equipment inventory
- How to map your neighborhood and identify areas of concern
- How to work together as a team to evaluate your neighborhood after a disaster
- How to set up your own neighborhood meeting to discuss disaster response including all materials needed
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Has it really been 32 years?
Ahhh....spring. When a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of....volcano awareness. The catastrophic eruptions of Mt. St. Helens thirty two years ago are a reminder that Cascade volcaoes hold potential to disrupt our communities. Eruptions and lahars at Mt. St. Helens took the lives of 57 people and caused billions of dollars in property damage. Here's a breakdown of our five active volcano neighbors.
•Mt. Baker, located in Whatcom County erupted last in the mid-1880s. River valleys are prone to landslides and lahars. Small stream plumes near the summit are observed frequently.
•Glacier Peak, is located in Snohomish County. This volcano last erupted in the 18th or 19th century. Large explosive eruptions in the past spewed ash to the east into Montana. Lahars threaten river valleys to the west.
•Mt. Rainier, located in Pierce County, produced small eruptions in the 19th century. Numerous large landslides flowed down the volcano's flanks into river valleys over the past 6,000 years. More than 150,000 people live on lahar deposits in river valleys around the volcano.
•Mt. St. Helens, is technically located in Skamania County. It is one of the most explosive and active volcanoes in the Cascades. The eruption on May 18th, 1980, was the most destructive volcanic eruption in U.S. history.
•Mt. Adams, located in Yakima County, is referred to as the "quiet giant." Mt. Adams produces lava flows, and is also prone to large landslides and lahars in the river valleys to the south, west, and north.
How can you prepare for volcano-related disasters, minor emergencies or slight shenanigans?
•Get a NOAA Weather Radio
•Develop an emergency plan with your family. For tips on how to create a plan, visit the DEM website.
•Prepare for ashfall with goggles and dust masks for all family members.
•Follow authorities' instructions
•Mt. Baker, located in Whatcom County erupted last in the mid-1880s. River valleys are prone to landslides and lahars. Small stream plumes near the summit are observed frequently.
•Glacier Peak, is located in Snohomish County. This volcano last erupted in the 18th or 19th century. Large explosive eruptions in the past spewed ash to the east into Montana. Lahars threaten river valleys to the west.
•Mt. Rainier, located in Pierce County, produced small eruptions in the 19th century. Numerous large landslides flowed down the volcano's flanks into river valleys over the past 6,000 years. More than 150,000 people live on lahar deposits in river valleys around the volcano.
•Mt. St. Helens, is technically located in Skamania County. It is one of the most explosive and active volcanoes in the Cascades. The eruption on May 18th, 1980, was the most destructive volcanic eruption in U.S. history.
•Mt. Adams, located in Yakima County, is referred to as the "quiet giant." Mt. Adams produces lava flows, and is also prone to large landslides and lahars in the river valleys to the south, west, and north.
How can you prepare for volcano-related disasters, minor emergencies or slight shenanigans?
•Get a NOAA Weather Radio
•Develop an emergency plan with your family. For tips on how to create a plan, visit the DEM website.
•Prepare for ashfall with goggles and dust masks for all family members.
•Follow authorities' instructions
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Free Canning Classes
Want to inexpensively boost your long term food storage supply? Learn how to can!
June 5 – July 17 (Tuesdays)
5:00 – 7:00 PM
Bob’s Sporting Goods Home World
1111 Hudson Street, Longview
June 5 Canning Fruits and General Boiling Water Bath Canning
Find out about processing procedures in canning fruits. Discussion will be on the proper canning methods and how to avoid common problems.
June 12 Jams and Jellies
Learn about the general procedures in making jams and jellies. Discussion will include equipment and supplies, various fruit spreads and low sugar jams. Procedures in making juices and syrups will also be covered.
June 19 Pickling Vegetables and Fish
Discover the types of pickled or fermented foods. Discussion will include equipment, ingredients and pickle and relish problems and solutions.
June 26 Canning Tomatoes and Salsas
Find out about processing procedures in canning salsas and tomatoes. Determine the correct canning method and what causes problems in canning these foods.
July 10 Pressure Canning Meats, Fish and Vegetables
Learn about canning vegetables and meats. Discussion will focus on equipment and supplies, using a pressure canner and solving problems in canning low-acid products.
July 17 Dehydrating Fruits and Vegetables and Making Jerky
Classes are sponsored by WSU Extension and Bob’s Sporting Goods.
WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local WSU Extension office.
National Child Abuse Prevention Campaign
From Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office
SEATTLE -- As millions of Americans recognized National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, one hundred and sixty law enforcement leaders from across Washington, including five from Cowlitz County, joined a nationwide letter calling on Congress to support proven child abuse prevention strategies.
At least 6,500 Washington children suffered abuse or neglect in 2010—nearly 18 children every day and 125 every week, on average. Child abuse and neglect also claimed the lives of at least 1,560 children nationwide in 2010, including 12 Washington children. More than 1,560 law enforcement leaders and survivors—one for every child who lost their life to abuse or neglect—have signed the letter urging Congress to protect and expand funding for evidence-based home visiting services (see a list of all Washington law enforcement leaders who signed the letter).
Cowlitz County law enforcement leaders who signed the letter are Sheriff Mark Nelson, Prosecuting Attorney Sue Baur, Kelso Chief Andrew Hamilton, Castle Rock Chief Bob Heuer and Longview Chief Jim Duscha.
The letter emphasized the benefits of voluntary home visiting services, which help new parents cope with the stresses of raising a young child. Research shows quality, voluntary home visiting programs can cut child abuse and neglect by up to 50 percent, significantly reduce later crime and save taxpayers money. They say that evidence-based home visiting can save as much as $21,000 for each family served by reducing abuse, neglect, juvenile crime and other negative outcomes. Washington recently received a multi-year, $25 million dollar federal grant to expand home visiting services statewide. And the 2012 supplemental budget signed by Governor Gregoire includes nearly $1 million dollars per year in state general funds for home visiting.
The signatories, members of the anti-crime organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, pointed to hundreds of thousands of cases of abuse or neglect that occur every year and said that the scope of the problem should “shock the conscience of every American.”
“From a fiscal, moral and public safety perspective, we have an obligation to invest in home visiting and protect children from the harm caused by abuse and neglect,” the leaders agreed.
SEATTLE -- As millions of Americans recognized National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, one hundred and sixty law enforcement leaders from across Washington, including five from Cowlitz County, joined a nationwide letter calling on Congress to support proven child abuse prevention strategies.
At least 6,500 Washington children suffered abuse or neglect in 2010—nearly 18 children every day and 125 every week, on average. Child abuse and neglect also claimed the lives of at least 1,560 children nationwide in 2010, including 12 Washington children. More than 1,560 law enforcement leaders and survivors—one for every child who lost their life to abuse or neglect—have signed the letter urging Congress to protect and expand funding for evidence-based home visiting services (see a list of all Washington law enforcement leaders who signed the letter).
Cowlitz County law enforcement leaders who signed the letter are Sheriff Mark Nelson, Prosecuting Attorney Sue Baur, Kelso Chief Andrew Hamilton, Castle Rock Chief Bob Heuer and Longview Chief Jim Duscha.
The letter emphasized the benefits of voluntary home visiting services, which help new parents cope with the stresses of raising a young child. Research shows quality, voluntary home visiting programs can cut child abuse and neglect by up to 50 percent, significantly reduce later crime and save taxpayers money. They say that evidence-based home visiting can save as much as $21,000 for each family served by reducing abuse, neglect, juvenile crime and other negative outcomes. Washington recently received a multi-year, $25 million dollar federal grant to expand home visiting services statewide. And the 2012 supplemental budget signed by Governor Gregoire includes nearly $1 million dollars per year in state general funds for home visiting.
The signatories, members of the anti-crime organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, pointed to hundreds of thousands of cases of abuse or neglect that occur every year and said that the scope of the problem should “shock the conscience of every American.”
“From a fiscal, moral and public safety perspective, we have an obligation to invest in home visiting and protect children from the harm caused by abuse and neglect,” the leaders agreed.
Friday, May 11, 2012
West Side Hwy Closure Next Week
From: http://www.tdn.com/
West Side Highway south of Castle Rock will be closed in both directions during business hours next week while Cowlitz PUD crews clear brush hanging over power lines and the highway.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, the highway will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Detour signs will guide motorists on a roughly two mile-long detour on Hazel Dell and Delameter roads. Drivers can also use Interstate 5 as an alternate route.
West Side Highway south of Castle Rock will be closed in both directions during business hours next week while Cowlitz PUD crews clear brush hanging over power lines and the highway.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, the highway will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Detour signs will guide motorists on a roughly two mile-long detour on Hazel Dell and Delameter roads. Drivers can also use Interstate 5 as an alternate route.
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