Protect Your Home from Wildfire

The easiest things you can do to protect your home from fire is to keep roofs, gutters, decks, lawns, patios and all parts of your yard clear of dried leaves, clippings, pine needles or any other flammable material. Protecting your home from wildfire comes down to following a series of preventative steps and having the right equipment for the job.

There are a number of variables to consider when fire proofing your home and the accompanying landscape. Vegetation management, position of your home, distance between structures and fences, access to firefighting equipment, water supply, and general characteristics of your home’s landscape.

Be smart about your gardening

• Inspect and maintain your landscape carefully. Keep brush, shrubs, lawn and trees well trimmed.
• Always remove dead branches, dry brush and dying plants. Dispose of clippings directly after collecting them.
• Water your lawn, trees and plants regularly. If water conservation is an issue, drip irrigation systems are best.

Plant trees and vegetation carefully

• Planting native vegetation is usually best.
• Be aware that certain types of trees, for example, pines, eucalyptus, junipers and cedars are more flammable than others.
• Actively planting trees and shrubs that create clusters of plants, or islands of vegetation, rather than continuous paths can keep wildfires from spreading to your house.
• The closer to your home, the smaller the clusters should be. Keep large bushes away from trees, too.
• Minimize plants under windows, near decks, and at the corners of your house.
• Make sure not to grow shrubs or brush near your roof, next to a large single-pane window, or near and underneath a vent.

Trees are usually less of a hazard than brush in a moving a fire. But even so, all trees should be kept from within ten feet from surrounding brush and at least ten feet from your house. Plant trees ten feet apart from each other as well. Trim tree limbs at least six feet from above the ground to avoid what are called “ladder fuels”.

Keep your house safe with the right materials

• Keep vents clean to minimize a buildup of debris in the mesh. Keep your vents and eaves openings covered with screens.
• Windows should be double-paned, made of tempered glass or have metal screens to keep from spreading a fire into your house. Or install non-combustible shutters that can close off windows in an emergency.
• Make sure your roof is made of non-combustible material to keep wildfires at bay. Untreated shake roofs or cedar shingles are especially vulnerable.
• Wooden fences, gates and trellises are common fire hazards. Never connect wooden fencing to your house. The most flame-retardant fences are made of cement. Many modern concrete fences can be built to resemble the look of natural wood.

Be sensible about what you store around the house

• Never store firewood or other flammable items, such as barbecue propane tanks, lawn mowers, oil or gas cans near your house.
• Lawn furniture and play sets can also be a hazard during wildfire. Be ready to remove them if a wildfire is fast approaching.

Make room for firefighters

• Make sure that emergency vehicles have good access to your property so that they can enter into your yard quickly and safely in the case of a wildfire.
• Your address should be easily visible from the street.
• Consider creating a standing water source for rescue workers.

Fire protection equipment is essential

• Don’t forget to invest in smoke detectors and make sure they’re always working properly.
• Keep a fire extinguisher on your front porch and deck and know how to use the extinguisher in the case of an emergency.

If you need help with watering your lawn or your home then give us a call

One of our irrigation experts can help you get everything you need for your wildfire sprinkler system.

CAN: 1.888.675.7999
USA: 1.877.591.4790