How to Guard Your Home Against Wildfires

A wildfire can destroy your home in no time. Wildfires destroy hundreds of homes each year. One of the best ways to avoid a wildfire from damaging your home is to clear all vegetation from around your home.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bow Rakes
• Hedge Clippers
• Lawn Edgers
• Lawn Mowers
• Lopping Shears
• Measuring Tapes
• Screens
• Fire Extinguishers
• Spark Arresters
• Fire Extinguishers

1. Maintain the area around your home. If you have an open space near your property, such as the side of a mountain, make sure you clear the flammable brush within 30 feet of your house.

2. Maintain your yard. Trim bushes, plants and trees, and get rid of large piles of dead leaves. Removing vegetation clears possible fire potential. Most neighborhoods offer yard debris pickup.

3. Make sure that vegetation around the house is at least 10 feet from home and chimney, and that tree branches aren't hanging over the house. Trim all trees and plants to meet these standards.

4. Keep gutters and roofs clear of leaves and other buildup.

5. Purchase and apply spark arresters to lawn mowers, motorcycles, chainsaws and chimneys.

6. Put a wire mesh screen over the chimney outlet.

Tips & Warnings

• Take precautions during spring and summer to remove large areas of dried weeds and vegetation from around your home.
• Make sure your home address numbers are clearly visible from the street.
• When buying plants for your yard, choose plants that grow low to the ground.
• If a fire breaks out, get out of the house immediately and call 911 from a neighbor's home.

[debraleebaldwin]

on 1/30/2009 If you live in Southern CA, are concerned about wildfire, and would like to know more about firewise plants, Google "Did Succulents Save Her Home?" This Los Angeles Times article ran shortly after the wildfires that devastated San Diego County in the fall of '07, and tells the story about a Rancho Santa Fe home that was "saved" by its landscaping.