Before Wildfire Threatens Design and landscape your home with wildfire safety in mind. • Select materials and plants that help contain fire rather than fuel it. • Use fire-resistant or noncombustible materials on the roof and exterior structure of the dwelling or treat wood or combustible material used in roofs, siding, decking, or trim with UL-approved fire-retardant chemicals. • Plant fire-resistant shrubs and trees. For example, hardwood trees are less flammable than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus, or fir trees. A good resource for proper planning is firewise.org which has outstanding information used daily by residents, property owners, fire departments, community planners, builders, public policy officials, water authorities, architects, and others to assure safety from fire. Create a 30- to 100-foot safety zone around your home. Within this area, you can take steps to reduce potential exposure to flames and radiant heat. Homes built in pine forests should have a minimum safety zone of 100 feet. If your home sits on a steep slope, standard protective measures may not suffice. Contact your local fire department or forestry office for additional information. • Rake leaves, dead limbs, and twigs. • Clear all flammable vegetation. • Remove leaves and rubbish from under structures. • Thin a 15-foot space between tree crowns, and remove limbs within 15 feet of the ground. • Remove dead branches that extend over the roof. • Prune tree branches and shrubs within 15 feet of a stovepipe or chimney outlet. • Ask the power company to clear branches from power lines. • 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 nonflammable material with mesh no coarser than one-quarter inch. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately. • Wear protective clothing—sturdy shoes, cotton or woolen clothing, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves, and a handkerchief to protect your face. • Take your Disaster Supplies Kit. • Lock your home. • Tell someone when you leave and where you are going. • Choose a route away from fire hazards. Watch for changes in the speed and direction of fire and smoke. If you’re sure you have time, take steps to protect your home. • Inside: o Close windows, vents, doors, blinds, or noncombustible window coverings and heavy drapes. o Remove lightweight curtains. o Shut off all utilities including bottled gas. o Open fireplace damper. Close fireplace screens. o Move flammable furniture into the center of the home away from windows and sliding glass doors. o Turn on a light in each room to increase the visibility of your home in heavy smoke. • Outside: o Seal attic and ground vents with precut noncombustible coverings. o Turn off propane tanks. o Place combustible patio furniture inside. o Connect the garden hose to outside People start most wildfires—find out how you can promote and practice wildfire safety. • Contact your local fire department, health department, or forestry office for information on fire laws. • Make sure that fire vehicles can get to your home. Clearly mark all driveway entrances and display your name and address. • Report hazardous conditions that could cause a wildfire. • Teach children about fire safety. Keep matches out of their reach. Post fire emergency telephone numbers. • Plan several escape routes away from your home—by car and by foot. • Talk to your neighbors about wildfire safety. • Plan how the neighborhood could work together after a wildfire. • Make a list of your neighbors’ skills such as medical or technical. • Consider how you could help neighbors.
Posted on: Wed, 21 May 2014 16:11:22 +0000