With wildfire activity picking up in California, all property owners should act now to prevent wildfires and protect their assets from damage.
With wildfire activity picking up in California, all property owners should act now to prevent wildfires and protect their assets from damage. To help, we’ve rounded up a few must-know preparedness tips and safety information.
- Walk around your property – Remove any dead or dry brush that is near your home or building. Cut back trees or bushes that are touching your property or hanging above it.
- Create an emergency escape plan – Ensure all members of the household know how to leave the building safely. Speak to town officials to learn what the evacuation route is for your area.
- Stay on top of alerts – You can find fire alerts here – org/alerts and lafd.org/NEWS. Avoid calling 911 to ask about evacuation zones or non-threatening emergencies.
- Keep exterior windows and doors shut – This helps to prevent sparks from blowing inside the home.
- Be prepared for power loss – Know how to manually open garage doors and gates.
- Secure pet carriers – Keep them in an easy-to-reach location so that they are ready to go.
- Keep your car’s fuel tank topped up – Ensure it has enough fuel for several days. Reverse into your garage so that you are ready to drive off.
- Turn on lights in and around your home – This helps to spot smoke.
- Never stay and protect your home when you’ve been instructed to leave – Doing so will endanger you and your neighbors and will interfere with the firefighters’ efforts.
- Remove flammable materials – Propane tanks, dead vegetation, and firewood stacks within 5 feet of your home should be removed to prevent accidental fires.
- Keep your lawn hydrated and well-maintained – Remove or cut down dry or brown grass to prevent it from catching fire.
- Cover areas below decks and patios and vents with wire mesh – This stops sparks from entering your home.
- Inspect roof tiles or shingles – Replace or repair the loose or missing shingles to prevent ember entry.
- Prepare your emergency kit for survival – Make sure your emergency kit contains a first aid box, flashlight, battery-powered radio and clock, pet essentials, medications, clothes, and at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.
- Protect your curtains and furniture – Move your furniture to the center of the rooms and remove curtains and drapes to prevent combustion.
- Keep water handy – Connect garden hoses and fill water in any tubs, cans, and containers to turn off the fire.
For more advice and safety information, take a look at readyforwildfire.org to ensure you are doing all you can during this season.
Looking for more ways to protect your home? We can help. Working with you, the Hoffman Brown Company team will provide an “On-site Wildfire Hazard Assessment” designed to develop ways to better protect your home and your family in the event of a wildfire.
We can recommend ways to take preventative measures to protect your home and property from fire damage. For instance, installing water tanks and planning a “defensive space” around the main structure of your home are both steps that you can take to reduce your risk for fire damage. To learn more, contact us today!
