BE 'FIREWISE'

Fire researchers say that even 30 feet of defensible space around a home can greatly decrease the probability of structure damage or loss due to a wildfire - a constant danger during Florida's dry season. Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson urges state residents to take action and points to three problem areas that can be corrected inexpensively:
• Roof and gutters: Remove all dead leaves, pine needles, small twigs and palm fronds - anything that can ignite easily by falling embers.
• Sides of the home: Remove dead vegetation and combustibles such as firewood piles.
• Area within 30 feet of the home: Remove dead vegetation, keep grass cut and watered, remove any vines stretching from wild land to the home or into trees, and prune dead limbs from trees and bushes.
For more "Firewise" tips, visit the Florida Division of Forestry web site at http://www.fl-dof.com.