Today@Sam Article

University Camp Attains 'Firewise' Designation

Oct. 19, 2016
SHSU Media Contact: Tyler Pointer

FirewiseCeremony
Members of the Texas A&M Forest Service presented SHSU's Department of Recreational Sports with a plaque that commemorates University Camp as a "Firewise Community" during a ceremony on Oct. 13. —Photo courtesy of the Texas A&M Forest Service

Sam Houston State University’s University Camp has received a special designation from the National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise Communities Program for its safety and proactive measures against wildfires.

A recognition ceremony was held on Oct. 13 at the University Camp in which representatives from the Firewise Community Program presented a plaque commemorating the camp’s new designation. 

“Firewise” means to be proactive in mitigating wildfire hazards and was designated to the University Camp after meeting the following requirements: 

  • Obtain a wildfire risk assessment as a written document from your state forestry agency or fire department;
  • Form a board or committee and create an action plan based on the assessment;
  • Conduct a “Firewise Day” event;
  • Invest a minimum of $2 per capita in local Firewise actions for the year; and
  • Submit an application to the state Firewise liaison. 

The Firewise Communities/USA Recognition Program has recognized more than 1,355 communities across the nation as Firewise. The University Camp is the second community in Walker County to be recognized, the first being the Elkins Lake community.

The camp received a non-monetary grant to complete hazardous fuels reduction work along with their designation that will allow them to continuously protect themselves from fire-related incidents.

“The University Camp collaborated with Texas A&M Forest Service in completing a hazardous fuels reduction project by eliminating ladder fuels in the pine understory,” said Stuart Coombs, wildlife urban specialist for the Texas A&M Forest Service. “Not only is the stand (treatment area) more resilient to wildfire effects, the reduction in wild land fuels gives firefighters a tactical advantage and is healthier for the stand eliminating undesired competition among vegetation.”

Senior assistant director for Recreational Sports Chris Mahlen is excited to receive the designation and hopes that more communities will find that being proactive will better protect them from environmental hazards.

“It recognizes that we’re being proactive and responsible with the resources that we’ve been allocated,” Mahlen said. “We do everything in our power to be good stewards to the property and make sure that we protect the resources that the students and the university have invested in.”

Areas recently suffering from drought, like Walker County has in past years, are especially vulnerable to various forms of ignition.

“When climatic conditions reach critical thresholds to support fast wildfire growth, extended drought, low relative humidities, high temperatures, winds 10 MPH or more and low fuel moistures, any wildfire ignition can be problematic. The northside fire in October of 2015 in Walker County is an example of how fire spreads when these conditions align,” Coombs said.

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