In the wake of the recent Brimson Complex fires, the Ely Climate Group hosted an Ely Area Emergency Preparedness meeting to inform residents about wildfire precautions and protocols.
Gloria Erickson, coordinator for St. Louis County’s Firewise program— an initiative to reduce wildfire risk — spoke alongside Ely Emergency Manager Bradley Roy, Kawishiwi District Ranger Aaron Kania and Mike Ostlund, who is the Director of Emergency Management for Eagles Nest Township.
The “number one” risk for Eagles Nest Township is fire, said Mike Ostlund. Bradley Roy encouraged Ely area residents to sign up for Northland Alerts, a service that will only notify them if a threat is a “true emergency and fairly severe.”
Erickson detailed how locals can help create a “fire-adapted community.”
Outside of city limits, homeowners should ensure they have a double-sided, reflective address number that stands a minimum of four feet high and about 10 feet from the main road. Long driveways should be at least 14 feet wide and include a turnaround at the end at least 30 feet in diameter.
Erickson outlined three zones surrounding a home. In the immediate zone, she encourages residents to clean their gutters and ensure there are no other flammable materials within zero to five feet from the structure.
“That means no mulch. That means no propane tanks. That means no firewood. That means, if you have bigger trees and branches are hanging over, you want to make sure that they are at least 10 feet away from your structures, no pine needles. If you do have grass, or if you do have plants around your foundation, make sure they’re watered,” Erickson said.
She added that even grass can be a risk, especially in dry conditions. A stone path or rocks are the gold standard of fire prevention.
In the intermediate zone, five to 30 feet away from a home, she recommends residents remove young balsam firs, as well as any other fuels such as bushes or dead debris that “can ignite and ladder up into the crowns of trees and start a crown fire,” which is more difficult to fight.
“If you have big pine trees — white, red, jack — make sure they’re trimmed up at least a minimum of six to 10 feet from the lowest branch. We’re trying to keep that understory clear,” Erickson said.
She also discussed recommendations for propane tanks, which should be at least 10 feet from a house, but ideally 30 feet.
“A full propane tank is a safe propane tank, because if it’s partially full, what happens in the event of a fire, it gets really hot on the outside and it boils,” Erickson said, telling the audience that a gas will exit through the release valve, which can create a “flame going straight up,” so residents should ensure that there are no branches overhanging the tank.
In the extended zone, tree crowns should be 12 feet apart if they are within 30 to 60 feet from a home, or 6 feet apart if they are 60 to 100 feet from the structure.
Erickson does Firewise evaluations for neighborhoods who want to ensure they are on the right track to fire resilience. She mentioned that there are also cost-share programs that assist homeowners in making fire-safe property improvements. Interested residents can contact Victoria Jari from the Minnesota DNR, Tristen Nelson from North St. Louis Water Conservation District, or District Conservationist Beth Kleinke. Firewise contacts include Gloria Erickson for St. Louis County and Steve VanKekerix for Lake County.
“We as landowners and we as community members need to take responsibility. We have the responsibility to take care of not only the forest, the health of the forest, but also lowering our risk of wildfires,” Erickson added, “Everyone has a role.”
