In response to the growing wildfire problem in Oregon, the Oregon Department of Forestry recently announced that wildfire mitigation renovations have now been completed to the Oregon Garden Fire Safety House and its surrounding landscape. The purpose of these renovations, they say, is to illustrate to residents the best fire prevention and safety practices they can use for their own homes. According to the Department, the Fire Safety House is the first full-scale fire prevention and safety house in the nation.
The structure, originally constructed in the 1970’s, was not built to withstand a wildfire and the vegetation around the structure was very flammable. The structure originally had a wood shake roof, combustible siding and single pane windows with vegetation growing right up to the structure. With the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which awarded an Assistance to Firefighters grant, the structure now provides self-guided tours to the public who visit the Oregon Gardens.
Today, the exterior of the house now features fire resistive roofing materials, fire resistive siding, dual pane windows and fire-resistive landscaping in addition to other recommended Firewise materials and techniques that help reduce home ignitions from a wildfire. Eight interpretive kiosks illustrate how a home (structure) can be protected from wildfire by using fire-resistive building materials and replacing combustible vegetation with fire-resistive plants.
The Safety House is being developed in partnership with The Oregon Garden Foundation, The Oregon Department of Forestry, The Office of State Fire Marshal, Oregon State University, Moonstone Garden Management, Inc. and FEMA.