As spring finally approaches many of us are eagerly waiting to get into the garden. This is the perfect time to not only clean our yards in anticipation of the fabulous colors and scents that will soon burst forth but also to assure that our homes will survive a wildfire. Unlike those folks living in cities, our beautifully treed greenbelt areas present us with some different challenges should we have any type of fire in our community. Here are some steps you can take to help protect your home:
Develop a 30-100 foot fire-safety zone (defensible space) around the house. Homes built in pine forests should have a minimum safety zone of 30 feet. Realizing that this is not always possible here…even a 10 foot defensible space is better than none at all. This area helps to reduce the potential exposure to flames and radiant heat and also provides a defensible space for firefighters to protect your house.
Make your address visible from the street.
Choose fire-resistant building materials for the roof and siding. The roof if the most vulnerable part of the house. Most homes with a wood shake room will not survive a firestorm.
Enclose the underside of your deck and structures. This will prevent debris from collecting in the area and prevent a fire from moving under the deck.
Regularly clean roofs and gutters. Remove moss, dead leaves and pine needles.
Rake up leaves, dead limbs and pine needles and properly dispose of them.
Clean and thin underbrush areas. Trim tree branches up to six (6) feet high.
Make certain water hoses are equipped with spray nozzles and are in working order.
Don’t have firewood stacked alongside buildings (house) or under decks.
Store Gasoline and other flammable liquids in approved safety cans.
These are a few suggestions of how you can better safeguard your home, possessions and loved ones. For more information go to www.firewise.org.
