Black Hills National Forest

US Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest
1019 N. 5th Street
Custer, SD 57730
605-673-9200

Telephone for the
Hearing Impaired
605-673-9227

News Release

USDA Forest Service

Black Hills National Forest

Contact: Helen McGranahan (605) 673 - 9200, or email us at r2 blackhills webinfo@fs.fed.us

FIREWISE AIMS AT BUILDING FIRE SAFE COMMUNITIES IN THE BLACK HILLS

CUSTER, SD: AUGUST 20, 2008

Custer, SD – The Project Manager for the Firewise Communities Program visited the Silver Star sub community outside of Custer today to see the progress that had been made since Silver Star became a Firewise Community in 2003.

The Firewise Communities Program mission is to get communities, like Silver Star, involved in protecting their natural surroundings and homes from fire danger. They aim at teaching fire safe practices that can reduce the risk of fire damage.

“People love there homes and nobody wants to lose their home. By becoming a Firewise Community we give each home owner the best chance to save his or her home should a wildfire occur,” said Judith Leraas Cook, project manager for Firewise Communities USA.

There were several Firewise practices that had been put in place in the Silver Star sub community including tree thinning on and around properties. Many homes in the neighborhood had used construction materials on their homes that are fire-resistant or noncombustible. Exterior vents were covered with wire mesh to help prevent sparks from entering the home. Dead wood and dense vegetation had been cleared at least 30 feet from several homes and firewood was stacked away from the dwellings. There was also a fire cache set in the middle of the sub division to help aid in putting out small fires.

“I would encourage other small communities to get involved,” said Richard Efird, homeowner in the Silver Star sub community. “It has given us a focus, a mission statement, every year on what we need to do to continue to improve our property.”

“It has been a very positive thing for this community, it has joined us together,” stated Efird.

For more information visit the Firewise website at www.firewise.org or the U.S. Forest Service website at www.fs.fed.us/r2/blackhills