Wildfire Disaster Preparedness

BEFORE A FIRE

  • Prepare an emergency kit and make a family communications plan
  • Make sure your home is sided and landscaped to resist fire 
  • Regularly clean roof and gutters of debris
  • Keep chimneys and stovepipes clean and in working order
  • Screen exterior openings to floors, roof, and attic
  • Install a dual-sensor smoke alarm on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms; test monthly and change the batteries at least once each year
  • Teach family members the location and how to use a fire extinguisher
  • Keep handy household items that can be used as fire tools such as: a rake, axe, handsaw or chainsaw, or bucket and shovel
  • Keep a ladder that will reach the roof
  • Consider installing protective shutters or heavy, fire-resistant drapes

WATER PLANNING

  • Identify outside water sources: small pond, cistern, well, swimming pool, or hydrant
  • Have a garden hose long enough to reach each area of the home and outbuildings on the property
  • Install freeze-proof exterior outlets on at least two sides of the home and near other outbuildings, and also, additional outlets at least 50 feet from the home
  • Consider a portable, gasoline-powered pump or generator, in case electrical power is lost

OTHER USEFUL LINKS:

  • Firewise workshops are offered for free all across the nation, in communities large and small, and free Firewise materials can be obtained easily by anyone interested