Forestry commission gets rolling with mobile-classroom program

The Georgia Forestry Commission has a new tool to prevent homes from falling prey to forest fires - the Wildland Urban Interface Mobile Classroom.

The mobile classroom, made possible by a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Forestry Service, illustrates through multimedia displays and exhibits how homeowners can protect their property from forest fires.

"We're going to have forest fires," said William Brantley, Columbia County's Georgia Forestry Commission ranger. "They're a part of the forest ecosystem. But when you add people and homes, there's a big increase in the danger of wildfires occurring."

The mobile classroom was parked at the Columbia County Exchange Club Fair last week, the second stop on a statewide tour.

//

The objective of the classroom is to teach people how to prevent the loss of their home to forest fires.

"It takes only 15 or 20 minutes for an entire tour of the mobile classroom, but it could be the most beneficial 20 minutes you will ever spend," Brantley said.

Although the mobile classroom is moving on to another part of the state, Brantley said that he and fellow Columbia County foresters are available to examine homes and offer suggestions to improve its forest-fire preparedness.

For more information on protecting a home, call the Columbia County Forestry Commission at 556-3962.