An ounce of prevention is worth a forest worth of cure

As the wildfire raced up the hill toward West Twin Road on August 30, Helen Stroebel, her husband Greg Unruh, and mother Marjory Stage were evacuated, only able to watch from afar as their beloved property burned. Their solace? Knowing they had done their best to prepare for this inevitable day by actively managing their forest.

“Overall, the work that we’ve been doing to thin the forest and remove fuels paid off. The fire stayed on the ground even through drought-stressed timber and burned much cooler than typical forest fires,” Helen conveys to PLT staff, mere days after the Idler fire threatened her home.

Managing for forest health is not only something she believes in, it’s in her blood. Helen’s father, the late Al Stage (2008), had a 44-year career as a research forester with the U.S. Forest Service. In 2003, the Stage family made a lasting commitment to sustainable forestry by protecting their family forest with the Palouse Land Trust.

A community of practice

Helen’s commitment to the land, and her father’s legacy, led her to approach the University of Idaho Student Association of Fire Ecology (SAFE) club. Club members are degree-seeking students majoring in fire ecology, many who have experience working as seasonal wildland fire fighters.

These students gain experience by hiring themselves out to landowners like Helen. In exchange, landowners make a charitable gift to support the club to travel to trainings and other events that develop their professional skills. SAFE club members worked on Helen’s property earlier this spring.

Planning and preparation

Fire prevention activities, described by organizations like Idaho Firewise, can make all the difference when the inevitable fire comes. “The fire fighters have repeatedly told us what a difference our forest management practices have made in their ability to contain the fire’s spread. Despite a strong wind out of the southwest, they were able to hold the fire’s eastern spread to our property line,” shares a relieved Helen.

Helen describes the suppression efforts as an “all out resource investment from all the agencies involved.” She was struck by having more than 100 fire fighters—on their property alone—working to contain the fire. “I can’t even begin to quantify the resources deployed early on.” Local volunteers and neighbors, like farmer Jason Hawley who disked fire lines in their fields, “made all the difference in the ability of the fire fighters to contain the fire’s spread up the mountain and save our house.” Bennett Lumber provided heavy equipment to create critical fire lines and had specialized equipment on site every day. Idaho Department of Lands and other Type 3 Incident Management teams continued mop-up activities, like putting water lines to smoldering roots and stumps, until the fire was fully contained.

“Greg and I walked the perimeter today and are so encouraged about the impact of this fire. In the end, we think it will be a benefit to our property, much like a controlled burn even though unplanned. We’re also relieved that instead of fearing ‘if fire comes’ or ‘when fire comes,’ we now can say ‘when fire came.’ It’s a great ending to what could have been a tragic story,” Helen reflects.

Active stewardship protects a conservation legacy

“Helen’s family should be commended for their incredible dedication to forest stewardship,” shares Palouse Land Trust executive director, Lovina Englund. “They are a model for being prepared for fire and for giving fire crews an access point to contain the fire spread.”

“It’s landowners like the Stage family that showcase how great stewardship and love of land benefits us all,” shares Englund. “In a drastic fire weather year like this, to have a silver-lining appear from the ashes is priceless. We’re so grateful for the Stage family’s incredible dedication to conservation and to maintaining a healthy working forest that benefits generations to come.”