As more homes are built in wooded areas, the threat posed by wildfires increases, so the Oak Ridge Fire Department has launched a new fire prevention program called Fire Wise.
Announced by Fire Chief Darryl Kerley on Friday, the new program is an effort to make residents more aware of the potential for a wild land fire.
Starting next week, Oak Ridge Fire Department employees will begin distributing Fire Wise materials via a door-to-door campaign to homes located off of Scenic Drive on the east end of town and Whippoorwill Drive on the west end.
The campaign will give information on steps that residents may take to reduce risk and help residents better prepare their property and homes in the event that a wildfire occurs, a city press release said.
“While wild land fires are not an everyday occurrence inside the city, as more and more homes are built in wooded areas, the risk of these homes becoming endangered due to a wild land fire increases,” the press release said.
It said many parts of Oak Ridge are located next to greenbelts and natural areas, and the risk of a fire traveling through these areas to nearby homes is increasing.
The official Fire Wise kick-off will be held during the Secret City Festival June 15 and 16. Resident who want more information can stop by the Fire Department booth at the festival. Employees of the Fire Department and the Tennessee Division of Forestry will be on hand to answer questions.
The Fire Wise program has been developed in conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division.
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