By Pepper Fisher

PORT ANGELES – The Clallam County Emergency Management team is hosting several wildfire presentations this month to inform the public on how to keep your home and family safe as we head into the dry seasons.

The upcoming events in Sekiu this Saturday, in Port Angeles on May 18, and in Sequim on May 25, were suggested after the forest fires in the Forks area on the Fourth of July last year.

Here’s Emergency Operations Center Coordinator Anne Chastain.

“It became obvious that Clallam County is not used to having wildfires in the community, is really not aware. We haven’t had the experience of wildfires every summer like they do east of the mountains. And we thought it would be a good idea to have some kind of an educational event that just would explain what the response was, and what the different agencies were responsible for, and just kind of explain to people how wildfire works, and how all those different pieces come together in a response.”

The different agencies Chastain spoke of that are scheduled to present include the National Weather Service, the Department of Natural Resources, Clallam County Emergency Management, Clallam County Public Health, local Fire Districts, the US Forest Service, and the American Red Cross.

Two important aspects they’ll be talking about are fire prevention and fire preparedness. Chastain suggests homeowners check out the websites Firewise USA and Ready, Set, Go to learn more.

“Go to those websites, take a look at what education is available to them personally. Because, if it’s something that you…simple things that you can do at home, there’s no need to complicate it. We want to make it as simple and as attainable as possible. For those people that need a little more, or if their situation is unusual, or their property has some specific challenges, then we suggest that they work either with their local fire department or with DNR, to have them come out and and take a look and give them an assessment.”

The wildfire presentations in Joyce and in Forks have already occurred over the last couple of weeks, but there are still 3 more to come. On May 11 at 1:00 at the Sekiu Community Center, May 18 at 1:00 at the Clallam Commissioners Room in Port Angeles, and on May 25 at 1:00 at the Guy Cole Event Center in Sequim.

A Question and Answer session will follow each presentation. For more information, call (360) 417-2305.