Introducing Stone Creek Fire LLC | Wildfire Mitigation

With more than 35 years of experience and dedication to reducing wildfire losses, Pat Durland started Stone Creek Fire LLC (SCF) to share proven wildfire loss reduction strategies and tactics with the many communities facing these potential losses. Since 2004 SCF has played a national role in communicating, planning and implementing wildfire mitigation programs and principles that reduce these potential tragedies and damages by fighting wildfire losses 'smarter, rather than harder!'

What is Wildfire Mitigation and Why do it?

Wildfire mitigation is the identification and implementation of tasks which reduce loss and damage from uncontrolled wildland fires. It involves those pre-event actions which most effectively reduce the potential ignition of homes, commercial structures and their surrounding landscapes. These actions are most often 1) affordable, 2) easy to accomplish and 3) effective in improving a property's ability to resist ignition from the flames and embers of wildfires. When reducing wildfire losses, it's the little things that make big differences!

Why are Wildfire Losses Increasing?

Changing weather patterns, expanding populations, flammable vegetation, and homes within reach of a wildfire's flames and embers are increasing community exposure to wildfire losses.

Recent studies and events indicate that disastrous megafire events are occurring more often around the world. Even with today's modern firefighting equipment and latest technologies, these severe wildfires escape control, often resulting in horrible losses of life and property at tremendous costs to community and country. Regardless of firefighters' valiant efforts, these disastrous fire events burn unimpeded destroying communities and damaging natural resources and processes.

Recent examples include:

• ISRAEL - Winter 2010: Northern Israel experienced its worst wildfire in modern history, taking numerous lives and damaging the country's limited forest resources.
• USA - Fall 2010: The Fourmile Canyon fire in Boulder County set a new record for structures destroyed by wildfire in Colorado at 172, of which 169 were homes.
• RUSSIA - Fall 2010: During the hottest summer in Russian history hundreds of wildfires burned and a state of emergency was declared in 7 western regions.
• AUSTRALIA - Spring 2009; Bushfires burning during extreme drought, high winds and record high temperatures burned 3,500+ structures and approximately 175 people died.

The Good News!

Modern scientific research, recent findings and information indicate that, of all the natural perils we face in today's world, wildfire losses are among the easiest to predict and prevent. As Pat Durland likes to say, "We can't change the path of a tornado or hurricane, but we CAN change the path of a wildfire!"