Clark resident Jerry Ruth believes that wildfire prevention education can help alleviate disasters such as the wildfire in which his wife died.

In line with his advocacy, Ruth, a firefighter with the Clark Fire Department, sponsored a community gathering in the Clark Pioneer Recreation Center on Saturday, Dec. 7. Some 70 persons attended the 90-minute event.

Besides planning the program and setting up tables and chairs, Ruth arranged for presenters. His wife, Cindy, a highly regarded physical therapist, was a victim of the considerable blaze in the Line Creek area of Clark on Nov. 16, 2021. The conflagration, that needed three other fire agencies under mutual aid, destroyed two homes and seven outbuildings and burned 300 acres of vegetation. The cause was determined to be power lines that blew onto trees, as wind gusting at more than 100 mph was recorded.

As part of the program, Ruth displayed three fire extinguishers marked Cindy I, Cindy II and Cindy III. He donated them to the Clark fire force and announced that they can be borrowed for situations such as brush clearing and the like to keep fire from spreading.

Ruth's overall goal is that, "I want to help people understand what they can do around their homes; how they can react before a fire starts, to minimize the threat of a wildfire.”

Data about keeping tree branches trimmed to help avoid wind blowing them into power lines was provided by Beartooth Electric Cooperative. To schedule a safety demonstration or for more information, Beartooth can be contacted at 406-446-2310.

Tips on what steps can be taken to help minimize wildfires ahead of one occurring were presented by Joel Thomas, fire prevention officer for the USDA Forest Service covering the Bighorn and Shoshone national forests. He indicated that residents in rural areas need to be aware of reducing a fire zone by keeping brush and small trees away from their homes.

As well, flammable material should be kept away from dwellings. Other recommendations include maintaining 50-100 feet clearance around homes with wooden siding or with wooden decks or porches. Also, trees and clumps of trees 5-30 feet tall should have a minimum of 18 feet between treetops. For trees 30-60 feet tall, a minimum of 12 feet between treetops is strongly suggested.

He and others, including California resident Greg Kealey, formerly of Cody with experience as a firefighter and arson investigator, noted that fire fuels must be reduced around all buildings. It also was explained, said Ruth, that cinders from a nearby fire, whether a wildfire or structural blaze, can travel more than a mile and ignite flammable vegetation or dry wood.

Another aspect of emergency calls, including those for fires, was addressed by Monty McClain, communications supervisor for the Park County Sheriff's Office. He was accompanied by Sheriff Darrell Steward. The topic involved a recently erected cellphone tower near the intersection of Wyo. Highway 120 and Wyo. Highway 294.

McClain noted that the nearly 300-foot tower marks a seven-year project that he's been pursuing. Said to be operational by the end of this year, the intent is to greatly improve cellphone communication for residents and the fire department.