WILDFIRE ALERT:

IS YOUR HOME PREPARED?

Despite record-breaking rainfall this year, the risk of wildfires persists. To increase your property's chances of surviving a wildfire, it's essential to create a defensible space around your property and reinforce your home or business with fire-resistant materials.

1. Create a defensible space. Minimize your home’s exposure to risk by modifying the vegetation space around it to help resist a wildfire. California requires 100 feet of defensible space around your property.

2. Increase your home’s defenses.

· Consider building your roof or re-roof with materials such as stone, slate, metal, clay tiles or asphalt shingles, which offer the highest resistance to fire.

· Cover all vent openings with 1/16-inch to 1/8-inch metal screening, as flying embers can enter your house through vents.

· If possible, windows should be double-paned with one pane of tempered glass; it’s recommended to help reduce the chance of breakage in a fire, especially if facing large areas of vegetation.

· Keep rain gutters clear or enclose rain gutters to prevent the accumulation of plant debris.

· Cover your chimney and stovepipe outlets with a non-flammable screen. Use metal screen material with openings no smaller than 3/8-inch and no larger than 1/2-inch to prevent embers from escaping and igniting a fire.

3. Additional things to consider:

· Have a fire extinguisher and tools such as a shovel, rake, bucket and hose for fire emergencies.

· Store all combustible and flammable liquids away from ignition sources.

· Make sure your address is clearly visible from the road.

· Consider having multiple garden hoses that are long enough to reach all areas of your home and other structures on your property.