Wild Fires
Home Considerations:
Your roof is the main factor in fire spreading!
Wood shake shingles are the worst (21% greater chance of catching fire)!
Roofs should slope in the same direction as the hill side surrounding your property.
Location of your home.
On the slope, or at the top of the hill?
Deck Design and Construction.
Use block or concrete construction on the downhill side of your home.
If it must be wood; build it on the uphill side, don't store anything underneath and enclose it with flame resistant materials.
Enclose your eves and place vents at the extreme outsides!
Exterior construction shouldn't be wood.!
Wooden fences built up to your house can act as "burning fuses"!
Avoid large picture windows on the downhill side of your home!
Use spark arresting chimney caps!
Vegetation choked Driveways and Entryways!
Firefighters won't enter and you might not be able to escape!
Landscaping: (remember,
any plant will burn!)
Break up landscaping with sidewalks or other nonflammable pathways.
Use native plant types as much as possible (they require less maintenance).
A minimum of 30 feet of clear space around your home is required!
Plants next to the home should be very small and very green.
Maintenance is VERY important.
Dead or dieing plants burn faster.
Leaves or fallen branches should be picked up and properly disposed of.
Water at proper intervals (Wet plants burn slower and overwatering may kill plants and trees, especially natives.).
Prune trees at from 6 to 10 feet above ground level.
Mow lawns regularly.
No branches should overhang the home!
Keep rain gutters and roof tops free of dead leaves and branches!
The arrangement of your plants is more important than the species of them!
Low aromatic oil is best!
Try not to remove plants on a slope greater than 35% (It can cause soil erosion and may lead to landslides)!
Use fire safe practices while you're out of doors.
Do not burn tree trimmings or garbage.
Dispose of smoking materials properly.
It takes a Community Effort. If one or two refuse to be fire safe, everyone is still at some risk!