Fairfield Glade officials are hosting a town hall meeting Wednesday to help residents better understand the increasing threat of wildfires in the region.
Fairfield Glade Fire Department Safety Officer Keith Larkin said the event focuses on preventing the type of destruction seen in other parts of East Tennessee. The meeting aims to address the rising number of fire incidents observed locally over the last few years.
“Our Town Hall meeting tomorrow is not only awareness, but action,” Larkin said. What we’ve seen in the past few years, the increase of wildfires not only in Fairfield Glade, but Cumberland County and across East Tennessee. A lot of us remember the big fires that happened in Gatlinburg, and what we don’t want happened is the same type of destruction that happened in Gatlinburg or out West, to happen in Fairfield Glade.”
Larkin said most people think of wildfires in the western United States. But dry conditions here can be a spark. Larkin said Cumberland County is currently in a drought position, which increases the danger presented by the local forests and hills.
“Here in Tennessee with our climate, tends to be March, April, and then again in September, October,” Larkin said. “For instance, last year in Fairfield Glade, we had a record number of fire calls and many of them were around wildfire concerns. That’s the most we ever had, so what we’re trying to do is to get ahead of it, instead of fight the wildfire, I’d much rather help residents prevent it and protect their most valuable asset, their home.”
The event will feature experts from the Department of Agriculture Tennessee Forestry Division, including Assistant Director of the Cumberland region Joel Blackburn and Mitigation Specialist Mike Golderphy. Firefighters and community members are receiving training to visit properties and evaluate risks that could pose dangers to homes.
“The event is located at the center in Fairfield Glade,” Larkin said. “We also have is representatives from all around different State and Cumberland County associations that’ll be there to help us. For example, Tennessee Fire Marshal will be there. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency will be there in association with Cumberland County Emergency Management.”
The initiative seeks to provide residents with the knowledge to reduce fear and empower them to take specific steps to lower risks on their properties. This approach emphasizes a shift from simply understanding the danger to implementing concrete safety measures.
“The second part of it is action,” Larkin said. “All the knowledge in the world is great, but without action we’re not going to have much success. Working together with the community, coming up with specific action plans, not only for their property, their neighborhood, or the entire Fairfield Glade.”
The Department of Agriculture Forestry Division will be in attendance to answer general or specific questions from residents.