Team Rubicon returns to Pulaski County to help prevent wildfires

PULASKI COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - Off the backroads of Pulaski County, Langhorne Road is a small community that takes fire safety seriously.

It’s considered a “firewise community,” meaning neighbors work together to reduce the wildfire risk.

Mike Castle, who’s lived in his home for 35 years, said there’s always more to be done.

“Anytime I see it, you know, popping up on news about wildfires and stuff like that, it gets you to think,” he said.

That’s why Castle and the fellow residents have opened up their neighborhood to 30 volunteers with Team Rubicon, a veteran-led organization that works around the country helping people with disaster recovery and mitigation.

“When we have an opportunity to do this and help a community in advance so we can minimize the impact on the backside, that’s even better than coming in afterwards and trying to help them after their worst day, if they’ve had suffered through a fire,” said John Warren, the leader of the Team Rubicon crew.

Volunteers are spending the weekend chopping small trees, reducing ground clutter, and chipping wood and more in the neighborhood. Warren said these efforts help reduce all things that could turn a small flame into a devastating loss.

“[It’s] making sure that you don’t have that fuel on the ground that easily spreads the fire to the trees,” he explained.

Although residents in the community take time to clear as much fire hazard as they can from their homes, Castle said having Team Rubicon with them this weekend is a huge help.

“They can knock out so much in a short period of time that would take us a lot longer,” said Castle.

This is the fifth time Team Rubicon has visited Pulaski County to lend a hand. Each year, the State Farm in Dublin donates $500 to help feed volunteers and buy anything else they might need.

“From my heart, I want them to be able to do this,” said Deanie Hall, the State Farm Agent who issues the donation. “I’m all for it. I want to make sure they keep coming, I want to make sure that we can get [wildfires] under control.”