The urban fires of recent years have forced us to look at our homes and businesses with fresh eyes.
Are there trees right up to the house that could burn? Is there a bit of distance to the trees, but a wood fence leading right up to the house? These are the kinds of questions considered in the process of "fire hardening" a structure.
Solutions can range from the relatively inexpensive, like cutting down small trees, to the more costly, like changing out building materials.
The Oregon Building Codes Division offers fire hardening grants for people whose buildings were destroyed or damaged in the 2020 fires, and Jackson County is helping administer the grants.
Ted Zuk, the director at Jackson County Development Services (planning) is our guest.