Fire District 3’s summer fire risk survey program is well underway, with fire risk specialists already reaching more than 375 homes. The annual effort is part of the district’s push to help residents in wildfire-prone areas understand and reduce the risks on their properties—and to help the fire department better prepare in case a wildfire strikes nearby.
“Our goal is to reach the homes in our high-risk areas,” Fire Inspector Dawson Shoup said.
Each year, the district hires two part-time fire risk specialists to conduct surveys door-to-door, targeting neighborhoods along the wildland-urban interface. These homes often sit on wooded lots or slopes and are farther from fire hydrants, conditions that increase the threat from fast-moving wildfires. Fire District 3 reaches approximately 500 to 600 homes per year, according to Shoup.
Surveys take about 15 to 20 minutes and involve an exterior walkthrough of the property. Specialists assess fire-related risks, including roof and gutter conditions, proximity of vegetation, building materials, and firewood storage. Ultimately, the homeowner receives a fire risk score and specific recommendations to enhance safety.
“We don’t focus a whole lot on the [overall] score,” Shoup said, referring to the score given to homeowners following a survey. “What we focus mainly on is things within the homeowners control.”
This includes tasks such as cleaning roofs and gutters, mowing the lawn, trimming overhanging branches, and removing shrubs or brush within 10 feet of the house. Another key recommendation is to eliminate “ladder fuels,” vegetation that could carry flames from the ground into taller trees.
The collected data also plays a strategic role in the district’s wildfire response planning.
“If there were to be a wildland fire, it gives us an idea of, OK, these are the homes in that potential area of the fire and it gives us an idea of, OK, these homes have a really good score, they’re gonna be easier to potentially save or to triage,” Shoup said.
Shoup acknowledged that some residents have been skeptical, especially over whether survey results are shared outside the department.
“This information, the score and everything like that stays with the department,” he said. “It doesn’t go out to anybody else… so they don’t need to worry about potential insurance things.”
The district encourages residents to participate in the free program, which runs annually from June through August. Surveys can also be requested year-round through the district website, fire3.org/community-risk-reduction. Additionally, homeowners are encouraged to sign up for CRESA’s Reverse 911 alerts at cresa.wa.gov/services/emergency-man agement/emergency-alerts to receive emergency notifications during wildfire season.
“This is a great program that we have,” Shoup said. “It’s completely free and we want to try and reach as many homes as possible.”
