OAKHURST — The community of Sierra Sky Ranch is now officially recognized by Firewise Madera County as the Sierra Sky Ranch Firewise Community and Fire Safe Council for 2016.
Firewise Madera County (FMC) is an outreach program designed to protect lives and property from wildfire through education. The program provides residents with the skills, tools and knowledge necessary to take responsibility and act to protect themselves.
Through Firewise Madera County, the county Board of Supervisors is actively participating in creating and designating Firewise Communities, in collaboration with the national arm of Firewise, along with CAL FIRE, USFS, the Eastern Madera County Fire Safe Council, and various other agencies.
Roger Maybee is the Firewise Madera County Coordinator disseminating information via the website, personal presentations, town hall meetings, and more, to educate and facilitate residents taking action.
“Roger with Firewise Madera County has been a tireless advocate to help the neighborhood clean up properties for a hazardous fire season,” says Sierra Sky Ranch resident Kathy Murphy, who is active in the organization.
In the Sierra Sky Ranch area, several meetings were hosted as part of the Firewise program, with guest speakers brought in to share information on the current fire season.
Over the weekend of July 9 – 10, people came together for a big chipper project made possible through the program. During two days, the Firewise group worked with 29 properties in the area, picking up debris at the curb side and taking it to a centrally-located rented chipper. Eight volunteers helped out on Saturday and 19 volunteers worked on Sunday.
The chipper ran for two days, taking in all the dead wood and tree limbs the group could gather. Neighbors came together with their rakes, shovels, brooms, trucks and trailers and, in the end, a total of 12 loads delivered a whopping seven tons of debris to the North Fork Transfer station.
This community chipper project was a free service to the Sierra Sky Ranch area residents due to the recognition as a Firewise Community.
“This is a community effort and I’m proud of our neighbors for coming together to help one another during this dangerous time,” says Kathy, who again credits Roger Maybe of Firewise Madera County with the success of the venture.
To contact Roger call (559) 760-7407 or email rpmaybee@sti.net
Photos courtesy of Donna Dozier
