Open House - letters - Letter to the Editor

Letters from our readers

Wildfires are facts of Western life

The special report "Living with Wildfire" (April, page 122) was well done. The inevitability of fire in forested areas is all too true. Those who live in or adjacent to such areas have to adjust to those facts. They, along with urban dwellers, have to accept the idea that even with the best-designed and best-implemented fire-protection preparations, weather and fuel conditions can and historically do provide the right mix for destructive fires.

Frank E. Lewis

SHELTON, WA

We Westerners need to understand that living safely in wildfire-prone areas is possible only when homeowners, timber companies, and wilderness managers work together. These clays many homeowners are afraid that limits on logging will increase the chance of wildfires. They are mistaken. Bravo to Martos A. Hoffman [executive director of the Southwest Forest Alliance] for pointing out that it is the lack of diversity within forest stands due to logging and the existence of flammable debris like underbrush that increase the proliferation of wildfires.

Surely, the best method we can use to protect our homes and investments from wildfires requires a new, more balanced approach-and Sunset is leading the way!

Ann Hedreen

SEATTLE

Have saw, will travel

I built the Arbor Bench described in your March 2000 issue (page 144) for my daughter and son-in-law in Chandler, Arizona. I did not have access to a table saw, so it was necessary for me to bring my circular saw and some of my other tools from Alamo, California. I have enclosed a photo [below, left] of the finished installation. I would suggest that if two people are going to try and move this structure, they had better be very strong: We used three men, and it was almost too much for them. I know my daughter will enjoy the arbor bench for years to come.

Thomas Lammers

ALAMO, CA

Editor's note: Readers can access plans for the Arbor Bench at www. sunset, corn/home/arborbench.html.

Dead kitchen space becomes gourmet pantry

Re: "In Pursuit of the Perfect Pantry" (March, page 140). My new condo has a very small kitchen. I thought that if I were to have a pantry it would have to be out in my garage (perish the thought that a gourmet cook be without a pantry). Thanks to your article, the dead space (6 inches by 25 inches by 85 inches) in my kitchen will soon be the home of a custom-made pantry.

BJ Miller

RENTON, WA

COPYRIGHT 2001 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group