Firewise Information
Living in areas that border undeveloped forest, grass or shrub lands means living with the threat of wildfire. More and more homes are being lost every year, but homeowners, not firefighters, play the most important role in preventing these losses.
The video below, called The Five Seasons, was produced in Grant County, mostly shot right around Long Creek, to raise awareness about the responsibilities that come with living in fire-prone areas and to encourage homeowners to act before the next wildfire. It’s what you do prior to fire season that determines if your home is still standing after fire season.
Living in areas that border undeveloped forest, grass or shrub lands means living with the threat of wildfire. More and more homes are being lost every year, but homeowners, not firefighters, play the most important role in preventing these losses.
The video below, called The Five Seasons, was produced in Grant County, mostly shot right around Long Creek, to raise awareness about the responsibilities that come with living in fire-prone areas and to encourage homeowners to act before the next wildfire. It’s what you do prior to fire season that determines if your home is still standing after fire season.
Things To Do To Protect Your Home
The more you can do to make your home defensible the easier it will be to protect it from an approaching wildfire
The more you can do to make your home defensible the easier it will be to protect it from an approaching wildfire
Five Things You Can Do To Protect Your Home
1. KNOW YOUR HOME IGNITION ZONES
Within 30 feet - Choose low-growing, fire-resistant plants. Keep plants well pruned and remove all dead material. Water regularly and keep grass mowed. Use stone patios or gravel walkways to minimize continuous fuels. Consider fire-resistant materials for patio furniture, swing sets and fences. Firewood stacks and propane tanks should be outside this zone.
30 to 100 feet - Reduce plant density and the volume of ground vegetation by cutting tall grasses and trimming trees and shrubs. Space trees and shrubs twice their height apart. Use a mixture of deciduous and conifer trees. Prune limbs 6-10 feet high.
100 to 200 feet - Remove smaller conifers growing between taller trees. Reduce the density of trees so canopies are not touching. Remove any accumulations of woody debris.
Note: Fire travels faster uphill so increase these distances if your property slopes. Contact local fire officials for a site-specific assessment to be sure you’ve done everything to protect your home.
2. USE FIRE-RESISTANT ROOF CONSTRUCTION
Use Class A asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile or concrete materials. Keep roofs and gutters free of debris.
3. USE FIRE-RESISTANT ATTACHMENTS
Attached decks, porches and fences that are not fire-resistant make the whole house vulnerable. Burning embers collect where walls and decks meet, causing combustible materials to ignite.
4. MAKE A DISASTER PLAN
You may need to evacuate without notice. Plan ahead for your family, pets and livestock.
5. HAVE GOOD EMERGENCY ACCESS
Roads need proper width and clearance for emergency vehicles. House numbers must be visible.
1. KNOW YOUR HOME IGNITION ZONES
Within 30 feet - Choose low-growing, fire-resistant plants. Keep plants well pruned and remove all dead material. Water regularly and keep grass mowed. Use stone patios or gravel walkways to minimize continuous fuels. Consider fire-resistant materials for patio furniture, swing sets and fences. Firewood stacks and propane tanks should be outside this zone.
30 to 100 feet - Reduce plant density and the volume of ground vegetation by cutting tall grasses and trimming trees and shrubs. Space trees and shrubs twice their height apart. Use a mixture of deciduous and conifer trees. Prune limbs 6-10 feet high.
100 to 200 feet - Remove smaller conifers growing between taller trees. Reduce the density of trees so canopies are not touching. Remove any accumulations of woody debris.
Note: Fire travels faster uphill so increase these distances if your property slopes. Contact local fire officials for a site-specific assessment to be sure you’ve done everything to protect your home.
2. USE FIRE-RESISTANT ROOF CONSTRUCTION
Use Class A asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile or concrete materials. Keep roofs and gutters free of debris.
3. USE FIRE-RESISTANT ATTACHMENTS
Attached decks, porches and fences that are not fire-resistant make the whole house vulnerable. Burning embers collect where walls and decks meet, causing combustible materials to ignite.
4. MAKE A DISASTER PLAN
You may need to evacuate without notice. Plan ahead for your family, pets and livestock.
5. HAVE GOOD EMERGENCY ACCESS
Roads need proper width and clearance for emergency vehicles. House numbers must be visible.