Firewise Program Teaches Coast Residents

It was only a week ago that a forest fire ripped through Jackson County. Today, the Mississippi Forestry Commission wanted to make sure Coast residents are ready if it were to ever happen closer to home.
Residents from across the Coast spent the morning listening to a presentation by the National Fire Plan, or Firewise Program. The program was created to make sure homeowners in areas susceptible to fires know how to reduce fuel around their home. Simple actions taken by homeowners could save their homes or even lives in the future. Firewise coordinator Leslie Blackwell said, “My favorite Firewise suggestion is mow the lawn on a regular basis. The main idea of that is to reduce the height of that grass and if you’ll do that, it won’t burn long enough to generate a tremendous amount of heat. It reduces the fuel, reduces the fire behavior. Sweep off the roof, clean out the gutters.”
The Firewise Program wrapped up around 1 at the community center.