by Heather Hanson /  Jody Dickson Did you know the prolonged prevention of wildfires, since the Big Burn in 1910 of Wallace, Idaho, exacerbated the threat of hotter burning, more impactful, deadly megafires?  As explained by photo journalist and wildfire researcher Michael Kodas, prevention has resulted in dangerously over fueled forests. With forty times the flammable vegetation forests had before the suppression of fires became a fifty year norm, forest conditions have been created that foster the megafires we see more prevalent, and threatening, every year. Different types of forests naturally experience vastly different incidents of fire. While a lodge pole pine forest will naturally have a 2-300 year event.…

by Heather Hanson /  Jody Dickson When is a good time to inventory your home’s contents? Not after a disaster. No-one really wants to think about what they could lose. The prospect of such an undertaking can sound tedious, and likely it can feel overwhelming. Ultimately though, you will get your maximum payout, in minimal time, from your insurance company. If you document your property before an event, you will spend less time gathering information when time is scarce. 250 hours. That’s how long Linda Masterson indicates, in her book “Surviving Wildfire”, she pent compiling a claim after a wildfire took her home in 2011.  That’s a large chunk of…

by Jody Dickson / Heather Hanson Facing January, here in 2019, Saws and Slaws is reflecting on the year that has past, and planning the year ahead. We are extremely grateful to ALL of our volunteers and to the community for their support. In 2018, our volunteers worked a total of 642 hours in the 642!! There’s no feeling in the world like sharing great exercise, great food, great fun, and great neighbors. There are no other communities like ours!  In 2019, we had 57 different volunteers, averaged 20 volunteers at our main events, and averaged 10 volunteers over all of our events, including the firewood project work. Volunteers make…