Firefighters are working to protect cabins near the Highline Fire by wrapping them in a reflective material. It's similar to what firefighters use to keep themselves safe. Firefighters have actually wrapped two cabins used by fire look outs in the Payette National Forest. The structure wrap is made out of aluminum foil, insulation and is woven together with Kevlar thread. It can prevent the building from going up in smoke.
"If they have the time they will wrap as many structures as they possibly can but it takes quite a long time to wrap even a small structure. So in most cases, there is not a lot of time to wrap cabins or structures in this material," said Jessica Gardetto a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center.
Gardetto says home owners can buy the material on their own but the best way to protect your property is by creating defensible space through landscaping.
The Highline Fire has burned over 70,00 acres in heavy timber on the Payette National forest entirely in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. As long as it doesn't impact structures, officials are going to let it burn. Firefighters are hoping for containment in mid-October. The fire was caused by lightning in late July.
