Wildfires are one of the most dangerous natural disasters in the world. They can happen
anywhere and anytime.
The worst part is that they are not something you can predict. Wildfires can be caused by
human actions or lightning, but it is usually hot, dry weather conditions that encourage
them to spread quickly.
Wildfires are a natural phenomenon that have been with us for centuries.In the past,
naturally occurring wildfires have been a way for nature to cleanse its forests and clear
debris. Now, however, even small wildfires can be devastating to homes and other
structures. Fortunately, there are prevention guidelines that help homeowners make their
homes safer from this threat.
The Basics of Home Wildfire Safety
As with all safety threats, prevention planning is your best bet for protection against them.
Following home wildfire safety guidelines is a proactive approach to protecting your home
from wildfires.
Wildfires spread most quickly during dry weather conditions, and they can be hard to
control or contain if they get out of hand.When this happens, they can cause a lot of
damage to homes and property. An out-of-control wildfire will burn everything in its path
with extreme heat and unwieldy flames. The larger it becomes, the more difficult is can be
for firefighters to put out the blaze and keep it from spreading.
According to the FEMA report, Avoiding Wildfire Damage: A Checklist for Homeowners, you
are at highest rick of wildfire danger when you live in a forest or wild land area.
“Protecting your home from wildfire is your responsibility,” the document goes on to say,
“To reduce the risk, you’ll need to consider the fire resistance of your home, the topography
of your property and the nature of the vegetation close by.”
Your first step is to identify and assess the risks that can lead to a wildfire. These include
dry brush and trees, unspaced forest, drought, lightning storms, and high winds. Once you
have identified these risks, you can take steps to mitigate the ones within your control.
For example, you can remove things that could catch fire or cause a fire to spread.These
include dry brush, trees, dead plants, and leaves from your yard. You can also clear out any
flammable materials from around your house, especially if they are within 10 feet of your
home’s foundation or near an entranceway or window
Creating a Defensible Space Around Your Home
One of your best preventable measures against wildfire damage to your home is to
construct a “defensible space” around it. The defensible space should be at least 30 feet
wide and should encompass each of the home’s sides.
According to theNational Fire Protection Association, “The most important zone to take
immediate action on as it is the most vulnerable to embers.” This means that our protection
plan starts with the house itself, and then moves out to the 30+ feet surrounding it.
For a house this includes cleaning off roofs and gutters to remove debris, dead leaves, dried
pine needles, or any other material that could serve as kindling for embers, along with
replacing or repairing any loose shingles or roof tiles. Additionally, vents should have metal
mesh screening of at least 1/8th of an inch while being clear or any debris and any
flammable materials need to be removed from the immediate exterior walls of the house,
including anything stored underneath decks or porches.
For the yard surrounding the home, otherwise called “the Intermediate zone,” some
wildfire preventative landscaping tips include:
•Creating pathways that serve as fuel break for fires, such as driveways, walking
paths, and patios.
•Maintaining a healthy, mowed and optimally watered lawn.
•Keep significant space between all trees to prevent a fire’s ability to jump from tree
to tree and keep mature tree no more than 10 feet from the home structure and
remove all tree branches at least 6 feet from the ground.
•Keep shrubs to a minimum and at a safe distance from the home.
Well-maintained turfgrass, mowed to the proper height of approximately 4 inches and
watered for 20 minutes during hot, dry weather days, provides a cooling effect and layer of
wildfire protection surrounding your house.
Most importantly, keep the yard surrounding the house free of flammable materials such as
dead leaves and pine needles. This can be done by raking them up and disposing of them in
a safe place, or by utilizing a mulching machine that will shred the leaves into tiny pieces
before they can accumulate on the ground.
Flammable Materials are More Likely to Lead to Wildfires
Flammable materials stored in the home can attribute to fire risk and spread quickly. Common types of flammable materials found in the home are wood, paper, cloth, and plastic.
While you probably can’t rid your home of most of these materials, you can take additional safety measures to accommodate for them.
We suggest:
- Having at least one fire extinguisher in your home, preferably one on each floor of the house.
- Storing smaller items away from flammable objects like furniture, curtains, and decorations.
- Keeping a clear path to the door for an easy exit during an emergency.
- Checking and maintaining all smoke alarms and installing carbon monoxide detectors.
- If using a chimney, cleaning it regularly.
Protect your Home & Family Against Wildfires
While the danger of wildfires is never something you can be 100% protected against,
particularly if you reside in an at-risk area, following the guidelines outlined in this article
will help your home and family to obtain better odds of avoiding the damage and
destruction these phenomena can deliver.
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