Fire has been a huge topic the past year with all the devastation that has been caused in California. Other locations are also prone to wildfires that could put your home in danger. There’s no way to 100% guarantee the safety of your home but there is plenty of measures you can take to prepare for the worst. Check and see if there are things you are already doing or if there’s something you can add to your homes fortification.

 

 

Evaluate Your Yard

Grass. If your grass dries up in the winter make sure you keep it cut short to prevent adding any fuel to the fire. If you know there is a fire near be sure to water the lawn if you can.

Fire resistant plants. Sounds pretty cool right? Check it out and see if in your area you have some plants that have some fire resistant qualities. Some of these plants include Eastern Redbud, Live Oak, Sycamore, Yucca, Agave, Salvias, and Lavender.

Wipe out the weeds. These plants tend to be very flammable and if they have overgrown in your lawn then your house is vulnerable. Clear these out and besides, without the weeds, your lawn will look nicer.

Trees. See what trees are outside your home that could potentially catch fire and have a limb fall onto your house.

 

 

Evaluate Your Home

Roof. During a known fire find a way to get water onto your roof. Some fires are started just by a single spark and by having your roof moist this will prevent a spark from taking flame. Doing the same to your outer walls can also add to the protection. Also, consider tile or metal roofing to really up the protection of your home.

Doors. Doors have about 20minutes of fire protection. Take notice of what doors have a metal sheet inside of them. Those rooms will offer you the most amount of protection from a fire. If all your doors had this protection it could greatly slow down the rate of fire.

Paint. Find paint that has fire retardant qualities to it to further slow down the rate of fire.

 

 

Be Prepared

Flammables. Know where your flammables are such as propane tanks, lawn mower, and coal. When a fire is near your location start to move these objects to a safe space or even away from the home. If these come into contact with fire it can cause some serious damages.

Detectors. Check your detectors regularly to make sure they’re up to date and ready in case of an emergency. If you know there is a fire nearby then go ahead and run a test now.

Extinguisher. Make sure you know where the extinguisher is and that everyone else in the house does as well. Put it in a room that everyone can access and that is less prone to have a fire.