Preventing Wildfires

Sanibel Firewise Task Force

Over the past several years, wildfires in the U.S. and throughout the state of Florida have necessitated the development of practical programs to address fire dangers before wildfires can develop. In response to this, the “Florida Firewise Communities Program” was developed in conjunction with the National Association of Foresters Firewise Program. The City of Sanibel and its partners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at J.N. “Ding” Darling, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, and the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District have formed the Sanibel Firewise Task Force. The task force was created to address issues related to wildfire danger on Sanibel and to identify those areas of the Island that may be more susceptible than others and to develop a strategy to reduce the possible impacts of wildfires.

Fire is a natural process in Florida. Historically, natural fires ignited by lightning occurred most often in the spring and summer. However, fires are possible in any month of the year. Because of this history of periodic fires, many of Florida’s natural communities are dependent on fire. In the absence of fire, many of these communities are unnaturally displaced by dense woody vegetation, which can reduce diversity of plant species and eliminate foraging opportunities for the Island’s wildlife.

The City and its partners have an active wildfire reduction program where dried vegetation or “fuel” is reduced through the practice of prescribed burning. This tool reduces fuel loads by purposely burning dead vegetation through controlled burning techniques to minimize fuel buildup before it becomes a problem. This lessens the intensity of a wildfire if it were to occur. Members of the taskforce have conducted preliminary inspections to identify those properties that border the island’s natural areas to determine which properties may be at potential risk if a wildfire were to occur. Those property owners that live adjacent to the Island’s conservation lands will have the opportunity to meet with members of the task force to discuss wildfire protection issues related to their property.

Some homes are more at risk than others. The level of risk to a home depends on the type of vegetation around it, the level of construction on nearby land, the density and type of ground-level landscaping near the house, the ability of firefighters to get to and around the home, and the homes exterior building materials.

As a homeowner, there are many things that you can do to reduce wildfire risk around your home. These can range from simple issues such as landscaping, to more complex, such as building materials. Simple actions that homeowners can start with may include trimming dead palm fronds from trees, trimming any tall grasses near the home, pruning large, leafy hardwood trees so that the lowest branches are at least 6 to 10 feet high, eliminating the combustible materials such as gasoline containers, firewood, and building supplies from being stored under or around the home, and keeping mulch and other landscaping well watered to prevent them from becoming fuel.