Many wildfires in southwest Oregon start as grass fires. They start surprisingly easily – by a lawnmower blade striking a rock, a pickup truck’s exhaust pipe dragging across grass on a dirt road, an electric fence wire snapping against a metal post – and spread quickly. It doesn’t take very much wind or slope for a grass fire to grow from a fire a few yards in size to a wildfire spanning several acres. To keep a grass fire from turning into a destructive wildfire, seconds count. Plan ahead to use those seconds wisely.

The best way to reduce the chance of a grass fire occurring on your property is to cut tall, dry grass before fire season begins. Roadsides and along driveways are common places for vehicle-caused grass fires to start. Pay special attention to places where vehicles may stop and idle, such as around mailboxes, gates and turnouts. Cutting grass around homes and outbuildings, such as workshops and barns, reduce the chance of accidental fires caused by malfunctioning equipment, smokers and children with fireworks.

In all cases, keep informed about fire season restrictions imposed by the Oregon Department of Forestry and your local fire district. Cut tall, dry grass early in the summer – as soon as the grass begins turning brown – when fire danger levels are either “low” or “moderate.” Mowing for non-agrictultural purposes is restricted as soon as the fire danger level reaches the “high” mark, and completely disallowed once it hits the “extreme” level. Mowing during restricted or disallowed periods may result in a ticket; if a fire results, the person who caused the fire could be billed for fire suppression costs.

Plan ahead so you know what to do if a fire starts. Have basic fire-fighting equipment close at hand – at least five gallons of water, a fire extinguisher in every vehicle and building, and a shovel. Burlap sacks are also useful; wet them down with water and use the wet sacks to beat down flames. In all cases, have a way to call for help, such as a telephone or a citizen’s band radio. Always know your escape routes and check them frequently.

If a fire starts, immediately call 9-1-1 and tell the dispatcher the address of the property on which the fire is burning. If you caused the fire, you have a legal responsibility to try and keep the fire from spreading. Never battle a grass fire by standing between the flames and unburned grass. Grass fires change direction without warning, and even a small grass fire can be deadly. Instead, fight the fire from inside the blackened area that the fire has already burned. Work along the cooler flanks by putting out small flames. Aim water and fire extinguisher streams at the base of the flames, not the tops.

But the best way to fight a grass fire is to prevent it from starting.