About GCFMG

Who is Gooding County Fire Mitigation Group?
Gooding County, in cooperation with local fire departments, received a grant to prepare local residents to be fire-safe. We are local firefighters commissioned by the federal Communities At Risk grant to improve our community’s chance of survival in the event of a wildfire. Our crews are assessing homes in the *wildland-urban-interface, offering recommendations and providing free assistance to help your home survive a wildfire.

What Is Defensible Space?
Defensible space is the area between a house and an oncoming wildfire where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire threat and to provide an opportunity for firefighters to effectively defend the house. Sometimes, a defensible space is simply a homeowner’s properly maintained backyard.

Does Defensible Space Require A Lot Of Bare Ground In My Landscape?
No. Unfortunately, many people have this misconception. While bare ground is certainly effective in reducing the wildfire threat, it is unnecessary and unacceptable due to appearance, soil erosion, and other reasons. Many homes have attractive, well vegetated landscapes that also serve as effective defensible space.

Does Creating A Defensible Space Require Any Special Skills Or Equipment?
No. For the most part, creating a defensible space employs routine gardening and landscape maintenance practices such as pruning, mowing, weeding, plant removal, appropriate plant selection, and irrigation.

Does Defensible Space Make A Difference?
Yes. Investigations of homes threatened by wildfire indicate that houses with an effective defensible space are much more likely to survive a wildfire. Furthermore, homes with both an effective defensible space and a nonflammable roof (composition shingles, tile, metal, etc.) are many times more likely to survive a wildfire than those without defensible space and flammable roofs (wood shakes or shingles). These conditions give firefighters the opportunity to effectively and safely defend the home.

Does Having A Defensible Space Guarantee My House Will Survive A Wildfire?
No. Under extreme conditions, almost any house can burn. But having a defensible space will significantly improve the odds of your home surviving a wildfire.

* The wildland-urban-interface (WUI) is an area where homes or other
human developments meet or are intermingled with forest or other
vegetative fuel types.