The Hat Rock and Mount Hebron fires that erupted last month in Umatilla County are good reminders to area folks that the wildfire season is here and they need to get prepared.

That’s because wildfires spark serious damage every year and that damage always carries a hefty price tag.

To some extent, because of a cooler and wetter spring, the 2023 fire season sort of crept up on the region. That’s not surprising in some ways as the warm temperatures — which parch the local landscape — don’t descend until late June or early July.

Yet as both fires illustrated, the ground is dry enough to become a tinderbox for the right kind of spark at the right time.

Homeowners, though, can do their part to ensure wildfires, when they do occur, can be mitigated to some extent.

A few basic chores around the house near an area where wildfires are a danger can cut down on the risks of out-of-control blazes.

A good first step is to clear leaves and other debris from around the house. That means cleaning gutters, eaves and decks. A lot of freestanding debris on a deck or a porch could be the perfect kindling to spark a fire. Removing dead weeds and other vegetation from around the house and the deck or porch is another excellent way to neutralize the wildfire threat.

Homeowners should also remove items such as firewood stacks or propane tanks from next to the house and create a space of at least 35 feet from their location to the edge of a home.

Trees can also create new risks to homes from wildfire. That means they should be pruned and the lowest branches at least 6 feet from the ground.

None of these suggestions, of course, will guarantee that a home will escape from the risk of wildfire, but they are a good starting point to create a safety buffer zone.

It is easy to forget that while we live in a great area, it is also an area that endures frequent wildfires.

Every fire season delivers some new tale of woe regarding the loss of a house — or many houses — to a wildfire or forest fire. The loss of those houses is costly. There is also the potential human toll from a wildfire.

The key theme with all fires during the summer season is to use common sense and, if possible, do what you can to keep your home safe.