With the fire season upon us here are some tips. Each year, thousands of acres of woodland and hundreds of homes are destroyed during a fire season that lasts from May to October, and in some areas all year long. If you live in the foothills, grasslands, or mountains, youre at risk! The growing population in new communities that were once woodland areas is making wildfires even worse. This rapid growth places even greater strain on local firefighting forces, who cant place a fire engine at every home. Designing and Landscaping Your Home When designing your home, its important to keep some things in mind. Select only materials and plants that can help contain fire rather than fuel it. Your roof and the exterior structure of your home should use fire-resistant or non-combustible materials. You can treat wood or combustible material used in roofs, siding, decking or trip with UL-approved fire-retardant chemicals. When you chose plants for landscaping around your home, chose shrubs and trees that are fire-resistant. For example, hardwood trees are less flammable than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus or fir trees. Protecting Your Home Its important to be proactive when protecting your home from wildfires. You should regularly clear roof and gutters of pine needles, leaves or other debris. Inspect your chimneys at least twice a year and clean them once a year. Keep dampers in good working order and equip chimney and stovepipes with a non-flammable screen of ½ inch or smaller mesh (contact your local fire department for exact specifications. You should also talk over safety procedures with your family. Teach each family member how to use the fire extinguisher and show them where its kept. Keep a ladder that will reach the roof available too. Also, remember these helpful tips to protect your home: Wildfire Damage Prevention Creating a Defensible Zone To create a defensible zone, remove all dry grass, brush and dead leaves at least 30 to 100 feet around your home. 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. Additional steps to help reduce potential exposure to flames and radiant heat: Maintaining an Emergency Water Supply Maintain an emergency water supply that meets fire department standards: Taking Action When Wildfire Threatens If you are warned that a wildfire is threatening your area, listen to your battery-operated radio for reports and evacuation information. Follow the instructions of local officials. Remember, personal safety should always come first! Assembling Emergency Supplies When wildfire threatens, you wont have time to shop or search for supplies. Assemble a disaster supply kit with items you may need if advised to evacuate. Store these supplies in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers such as backpacks, duffel bags or trash containers. Include in the kit: Allstate is committed to helping you make your life, home, auto and family safer. We encourage you to make wildfire preparedness part of your home safety program. Please share the information with family, friends and neighbors. Contact your local Allstate agent for more information on wildfire safety. Special thanks to the California Department of Forestry and Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) for contributions in the development of this material. Call Us At 1-800-ALLSTATE to find An Agent This section highlights examples of safety precautions you can consider to help prepare yourself, others and your personal property for wildfire season. Please recognize that a particular precaution may not be appropriate or effective in every circumstance. We encourage you to use your own good judgment about whats appropriate. File A Catastrophe Claim at 1-800-ALLSTATE
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:23:03 +0000