Through the Okanogan Conservation District and the LRAA Firewise Committee partnership, an industrial chipper is being provided for LRAA on May 13th. Sign up today!
Get your yard work done and build piles by the side of the road/driveway for easy access. From what we understand there is now no requirement for homeowners to be home to have chipping completed. Just have yard waste ready and staged. For details, read the chipping event flyer linked below or visit the registration page.
View/download Chipping Event Flyer [pdf]
Register for the Event →
Our annual Spring eNewsletter went out today. If you didn’t receive it, please check your spam/junk folder or let us know if you’ve had an email address change. If you’re new to LRAA and haven’t subscribed yet, please visit our Communication page and click “Subscribe to Email List.”
The airport is open as of 4/8/2023.
Thanks to Matt for his work and the cooperation between Roads and Airport Committees; the North Taxiway road has been moved back to make the runway safer for pilots and new gravel placed on it. Please drive 15 mph or slower and keep off the old road footprint.
Annette Daniels
LRAA Airstrip Committee
Every year we must replace board members who rotate off the board or who have moved out of the community. This year we will have 3 open seats to fill. Please consider joining the Board!
This community cannot function without volunteers. Being on the board allows you to meet people in your community, learn more about the inner workings of the association and participate in the decision-making processes. Board terms are three-years in length, and members are limited to two consecutive terms. The board meets once a month via conference call.
If you are interested or if you would like to recommend someone, please contact the LRAA Business Manager at lraa.business@gmail.com.
Thank you!
A dozen years ago, LRATA discovered that a small part of Susan Road, in use since the Second Addition was added to the First years ago, ran across private property. After consultation with legal counsel, the Board proposed to trade the property under an unnamed and unimproved road right-of-way between Meek and Susan Roads for the private property under Susan Road. That proposal was acceptable to the affected property owners and was approved by the remainder of the development’s property owners.
It was later learned that to obtain the rights needed to trade the property under the unnamed and unimproved road, the Association was required to petition Okanogan County to vacate that road. It was also learned that the County could seek compensation for vacating a road. When the petition was presented to the County, the County Engineer informed the Association that vacation of that road would result in the adjoining Meek Road becoming a “dead end” over 600 feet in length. County Road Guidelines required that, as a result Meek would need to be provided with a turn-around so emergency vehicles could maneuver.
The Association worked with Okanogan County Fire District 6 personnel to identify the changes needed to Meek Road. Once the necessary tree removal, widening, grading, etc. were completed, they were verified by the FD6 Assistant Chief and he sent a letter to the County Engineer.
The petition to vacate the unimproved road was discussed at a County Commissioner’s Hearing on December 11, 2023 and was conditionally approved, subject to the County receiving compensation for the road vacation in the amount of $21,124.60 by July 31, 2024.
Since that hearing, information has come to light suggesting that the originally developer deeded that property under Susan Road to the Association. Further investigation has shown that not to be true since no recorded plat amendment depicting an extension of Susan Road through Lot 35 can be located.
It is recommended that the Board pay the required compensation to the County within the time allotted as further efforts to find a different resolution are likely to be more costly.
Ron Suter
August 2023, V2
FIREWISE® RISK ASSESSMENT COMPLETED
The LRAA neighborhood National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Residential Wildfire Hazard Assessment was completed by Eli Loftis, Okanogan County Conservation District and Will Knowlton, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on May 30th, 2023.
LRAA Firewise Risk Assessment Results:
LRAA is in the High Risk Category but there are things we can do to help!
LRAA is a unique community and united on fire! Residents were very engaged during the assessment and open to discussing improvements. Radiant heat is a PROBLEM and a fire in close proximity to your house increases the risks of fire and smoke inhalation. This is why creating defensive space is important.
Removing the wood piles from your porch and under the porch will help protect your entire home from burning down. Remember ALL buildings need to be protected, not just houses.
Pick up/rake all flammable vegetation (dead branches, brush, stumps, logs) on your property.
Use the LRAA community chipper to remove dead brush piles
Trim your trees lower limbs 15’ up off the ground
Trim tree branches within 15’ within a chimney or stovepipe
Trees close to your home are a risk, consider creating a 30’ defensible space around your home without trees.
Order blue reflective address signs so emergency vehicles can locate you quickly.
LRAA MEMBER NPFA RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS ZOOM MEETING • September 13, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Will and Eli to go over the fire risk assessment results. You can also use this opportunity to ask Will and Eli questions about how to protect your property from fire. Spoiler alert…our neighborhood is in the high risk category for fire. The meeting will cover why the risk here is so high and what we can do to reduce fire fuel so we have a home to come back to if a fire does rip through.
Important! Please email Bahia Rowan [LRAA.business@gmail.com] LRAA business manager by September 5th if you have any questions you would like answered by the experts during the meeting. Will and Eli have asked for questions in advance to best prepare.
Join Zoom Meeting
Time: Sep 13, 2023 04:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83562309582?pwd=ZnpTYnAzTXNUVmNaRW85cU5MQkZqZz09
Meeting ID: 835 6230 9582
Passcode: 542005
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 835 6230 9582
Passcode: 542005
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kedC1zwHr
FREE MONEY FOR DOING FIRE MITIGATION WORK ON YOUR PROPERTY
We are working to become an official Firewise neighborhood. The benefit to becoming a Firewise neighborhood is we have an opportunity to receive funding to help make our neighborhood safe from fire from your individual contributions. And you as property owners can earn money doing the mitigation work. See the program details:https://www.dnr.wa.gov/cost-share
Please note that nothing will ever be done to private property without the consent from the owner. It is your personal choice to participate.
FREE HOME FIREWISE ASSESSMENT WALK THROUGH
Will and Eli will do free home assessment walkthroughs with any homeowner that would like one done. You can do it yourself using the Firewise assessment online, but it’s a lot more informative to have Eli and Will come out. They request doing at least 4 houses at a time as they live in the town of Okanogan. So gather up your neighbors and schedule a time with them directly if you’d like! Contact eli@okanogancd.org.
EVACUATION MESSAGE TO ALL RESIDENTS
When the neighborhood is at a Level 1 & 2 evacuation, leave via Lost River Airport Association via Lost River Road. No other road option is safe or feasible in most vehicles. Do not rely on the airstrip or additional resources to help, FS or Fire Dept are not guaranteed to come get you.
HOW STAY INFORMED ON FIRES & SMOKE IN THE AREA
If you’d like to stay informed on when fires are near us and evacuation levels you can sign up for Okanogan County alerts. It’s great to know whether you’re a part-time or full-time resident. Links can also be found on the LRAA website Home page.
Okanogan County Emergency Management
WA Smoke - Smoke tracking
AirNow - Air Quality Monitor App
Purple Air - Air Quality Monitor App (There’s a Purple Air monitor at LRAA.)
Inciweb - Up to date fire reports
National Interagency Fire Center - Fire tracking map
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Facebook
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Fire Adapted Methow Valley - We invite you to explore the resources shared on the Fire Adapted Methow Valley website that are relevant to our Methow Valley including some highlights listed below.
Adapting western North American forests to climate change and wildfires: 10 common questions - This is a fantastic article – well worth reading.
Fighting Fire with Fire - Includes a video about home loss in Rising Eagle fire and rebuilding using Firewise principles. Definitely watch the video!
The Firewise USA website and its information on the FirewiseUSA program provides you with a structure for actually preparing for wildfire and how to engage folks in your neighborhood. This site will help with:
the reasons WHY this work is so important,
HOW the dry east of the mountains, fire-prone and fire-shaped ecosystemsfunction and remain healthy,
WHAT do people mean when they say restoration work is needed in our forests,
WHAT is wildfire risk mitigation and why is it important.
Thank you from your Firewise Committee…
Nick Glatt, Pam Saxton, Maria Hines, CB Thomas, Malcom Griffes, Caryn Darmer