Sound advice

Having a wildfire destroy your home is bad.

But this is worse: You don’t have insurance.

Fires burn more rural homes than they used to. This is hardly surprising — there are both more fires and more rural homes.

Nor has this trend slipped unnoticed past the probing eyes of insurance adjusters.

As a result, some companies are requiring that their customers prune trees and remove brush around their homes and do other basic tasks that help reduce the risk of fire.

This is sound advice even if it’s not mandated.

Everyone benefits from taking care of their land. If a handful of neglectful residents lose their insured homes to fire, then the rates for thousands of responsible people are likely to rise.

Fortunately, the Oregon Department of Forestry can help local landowners with fire-proofing tips and, in some cases, with money to do the work.

We urge rural residents who haven’t already done so to take advantage. The agency’s phone number is 523-5831.