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Wildfire Guide
Fire proofing
Wildfire destroys hundreds of homes and buildings every year. If you clear flammable vegetation from the vicinity of your structure, you can reduce the risk of destruction by wildfire as much as 70 percent. Follow these tips.
Property
 Build a defensible area around your house of at least 30 feet. If you are on a hillside extend the down hill defensible area: Fire travels quickly uphill.
- Plant fire-resistant shrubs and trees. Hardwood trees like walnut and cherry are less flammable than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus or fir trees.
- Rake up leaves and dead limbs, clear away brush.
- Thin a 15-foot space between tree crowns, and remove limbs within 15 feet of the ground.
- Ask the power company to clear branches from powerlines.
- Remove vines from the walls of the home.
- Mow grass regularly.
- Clear a 10-foot area around propane tanks and the barbecue. Place a screen over the grill — use non-flammable material with mesh no coarser than one-quarter inch.
Fire-proofing your house
- Build roof and exterior walls of fire-resistant material.
- Treat exposed wood in roofs, siding, decks or trim with UL-approved fire-retardant chemicals.
- Install electrical lines underground if possible.
- Install smoke detectors on every level of your home and near bedrooms.
- Consider building stone walls that can act as heat shields and deflect flames.
- Swimming pools and patios can buffer the house from fire.
- Protective shutters or heavy fire-resistant drapes can stop embers from being blown into house when flames shatter windows.
Maintenance
Work on your property regularly. You never know when a disaster will stike.
- Remove leaves and trash from under buildings.
- Regularly dispose of newspapers and rubbish.
- Stack firewood at least 100 feet away and uphill from your home. Use only UL-approved woodstoves.
- Store gasoline, oily rags and other flammable materials in approved safety cans. Place cans in a safe location away from the base of buildings.
- Inspect chimneys at least twice a year. Clean them at least once a year. Keep the dampers in good working order.
Wildfire's coming!
Next: Respond and survive
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