Xterra Fire Escape

westslope

Wheeling
XterraRising: Big thumbs up for staying relaxed and making the best of a bad situation.

In 2017, when the wildfire started across the river from us and then tore north, transported by steady up river/south to north 60 to 80 km/h winds, all the areas that were irrigated, cleared and/or grazed were spared.

The east side of the river was spared too. That was easily predicted in advance as the inter-mountain valley convection air movements at that time of year are well behaved and relatively stable.

Unfortunately where I live most folks appeared to have missed those high school geography class lessons on convection air movements. Most folks appear to experience the outdoors through the windshield of an automobile. I mention all this, because folks in our village went into hyper-vigilant panic mode for no substantive reason other than sheer ignorance. Sad.

Two First Nation communities, one immediately to the north of us and the other in the Chilcotin district half a days drive to the north of us defied RCMP evacuation orders and saved all the infrastructure in their communities.

A wildfire where we live strikes me as a 1/50 to 1/100 year event, i.e., low probability but a potentially nasty outcome. Those who pay attention will notice that British Columbians rarely die in forest fires or sage brush steppe wildfires. Contrast that to the US experience where folks die on a regular basis in large part thanks to the extensive penetration of low-density suburbs into semi-arid forests.

In this household, we are stocked up on p100 filter masks and have no intention of leaving if a fire starts. The prime strategy is to prevent the neighbour's house to the south from catching fire or burning too close to us.
 

XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah
Yeah thank gobble for fire fighters. My shed is a write off, but they saved my home. But dang, it got close. When we get to go home today, I’m gonna walk the property before I call my home inspector to assess the damage and make sure we don’t have smoke damage. Our smoke detectors were going nuts around 4:30 yesterday afternoon. I was watching one of our indoor cameras and could see the flames coming up to our property line. So I’m worried about smoke damage.

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CHUG

Lockers Installed
Supporting Member
I would be using that fire line, for Digging a Nice sprinkler system with outward spray to enhance that Micro climate.. Just to slow it down till Hose draggers show up & or Air Red goo Or Water Drop.

That is too dang close.. Them plastic fence do not fare well.
 

TheCrabby1

I Smell Fishy
Supporting Member
Location
Burtonsville, Md
I'm glad the house and it's content's survived and you and your's are safe :) I agree with Chug about an in ground irrigation system with extra sprinkler head's aimed toward's the house and maybe some mounted on the roof [ keep the plumbing line's outside if possible ] Make it look like a rain forest when you turn it on . I'd be buying some lottery ticket's if I's you !!
 

XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah
Our back yard is basically a field. The wind was gusting over 60 mph, so the fire moved fast. The fire crews were fighting the fires at the property lines and were getting ready to triage which houses they’d have to let burn. Then the wind shifted and sent the fire up the mountain. I’m not sure my house would have survived much more of it. The trees in my front yard all have burned and dead leaves.

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CHUG

Lockers Installed
Supporting Member
Buy 200 pounds of Casoron. and make a Dirt dead zone.
that was a HOT FAST FIRE.!!. can see heat damage to the rails on house..

be Leary of snakes they will be tad grumpy..
 

XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah
Yeah the mice, voles, cotton tails, and jacks have been out in full force. My dog has been sniffing them out. The land is actually owned by the city, so I’m going to petition them to fix the fire break behind our house. But yeah, we are gonna remove the brush that’s left and kill the rest with chemicals.
 

TheCrabby1

I Smell Fishy
Supporting Member
Location
Burtonsville, Md
As bad as the shed is it look's like the house made out pretty good . If the Ins company is replacing a few thing's have you thought of a Terra-cotta roof and maybe stucco or aluminium/steel siding just to be a little more fire resilient ? Hope the smoke damage isn't too bad...........
 

XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah
Our house is stucco. We will likely get a new shed, so I’m going to opt for a narrower, longer design so I can park an ATV or a side-by-side in it.
 

XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah

Richard

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Oregon
Wrong fire. That was the Traverse Mountain fire. That was caused by fireworks. The fire that threatened my house is The Knolls Fire. Fire season in Utah showcases a new wildfire every other day, and by mid-August, even I have a hard time keeping them straight.
Ok thanks.

But again glad your all safe.
Southern Oregon here well versed in fire seasons.
 

XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah
Looks like the damage to my shed is repairable. The floor is toast, literally. There was an area in the corner that has some scorch to it, and of course the vinyl siding melted off, but the sheathing paper wasn’t damaged. So I’d be happy if I can just replace the floor, damaged siding, and the broken window.

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Right now, we are staying at a hotel while the disaster cleanup companies clean up the smoke damage to our house. But I’ll consider myself lucky my house survived.
 

CHUG

Lockers Installed
Supporting Member
That is close.. seeing those Carbon marks inside. Another hour or less, POOF gone..
Next siding you going to add more fire resistant siding?. Next fire in your area will be in 140 years.. haha.

Good time to make it into Mancave!
 

XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah
Everything has been working out well. Our insurance really stepped up and took ownership of getting all the smoke damage take care of. We still aren’t done. We are working on getting a new roof because ours was damaged by the intense heat. Our windows also took a beating, so they are getting replaced. We got a payout for the shed and I’m doing those repairs myself to save a few thousand bucks. My son and I ended up hauling 600 lbs of debris to the dump after I tore a bunch of stuff off the shed and other debris from the fire. Our insurance company wrote us a check for everything and we’ve been picking and choosing what parts to do ourselves and what parts to hire out. Since I can repair the shed for thousands less than the payout, I got myself a new trailer as well. :D

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XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah
Thanks man. We started fixing the shed this weekend. Never installed a window before, so that was a first. Probably going to finish the siding and paint this weekend and then install trim next week. I need to get this done soon. The rainy season is coming up. I’d be done already if not for this damn heat wave and 103 degree days. o_O

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TheCrabby1

I Smell Fishy
Supporting Member
Location
Burtonsville, Md
Looking good ! Remember CAULK is your friend, too much is better then not enough for a good seal [ though a PITA to clean up] and a gable vent/vent-a-ridge with vented soffit will make the new roof last longer and stay cooler in the summer. Have you gotten back in the house yet or are they still remediating the smoke damage ? Most importantly when working outside stay hydrated with a cold adult beverage," CHUG " recommends a twenty minute beverage break every 15 minute's !! :D:D
 

XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah
Yeah we’ve been home for a month now. Took them more than 3 weeks to clean out the inside and get all the smoke smell out, but insurance paid for an extended hotel suite, so I wasn’t bummed out that. For the window, I did my utmost to get it right lol. What you don’t see is proper flashing and sealing (which it didn’t have any of before). The roof is going on the house. I’m going to have a professional do that. The roof on my shed I can do. And I plan on proper ventilation and and exhaust fan due to the chemicals stored in there.
 
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