Wildfire: Defend Your Home & Survive

BEFORE fire season — make the home survivable 1. DEFENSIBLE SPACE: clear dead leaves, pine needles and debris from roof, gutters and 30 feet around the home. Store firewood at least 30 ft away. 2. Move flammable items (fuel cans, propane tanks, dimensional lumber, mulch) away from the house. 3. Remove low tree branches up to 6 ft and trim anything touching the house; replace wood mulch with gravel near the foundation. 4. Box in/cover vents with 1/8" metal mesh — embers enter through vents. 5. Keep a garden hose long enough to reach the roof, and soaker hoses or sprinklers you can run onto the roof. WHEN FIRE IS APPROACHING & YOU'RE STAYING (only if not ordered to evacuate) 1. Close all windows and doors (pull drapes too); shut off the gas. 2. Move furniture away from windows. 3. Turn on roof/yard sprinklers; wet down the roof, decks and surroundings. 4. Fill buckets and the bathtub with water; soak rags. 5. Stay inside until the fire front passes — usually 10-20 minutes of intense heat — then go outside immediately to douse spot fires. IF YOU MUST EVACUATE - GO EARLY, before roads are jammed and smoke makes them impassable. Pack: 'go-bag' with meds, water, food, IDs, cash, charger, flashlight, N95 masks. - If trapped while fleeing: shelter in a cleared area (no fuel), a ditch away from vehicles, or a body of water; cover yourself with a wool blanket or jacket; stay low. NEVER - Never shelter in the ATTIC — embers ignite it and there's no way out. - Never wait for an official 'Go' if you feel unsafe — leave early. - Never rehydrate with smoke in your face; breathe through a damp cloth/N95.