Every year, wildfires in California cause significant destruction, threatening people’s health and lives. This year, the wildfire season has started intensely—California Fire Chief Joe Tyler reported that the state has responded to over 3,500 wildfires, with the fires destroying nearly 220,000 acres (five times more than usual for this time of year). He has actively urged residents to be “especially cautious.”
“We are not just in a fire season, we are in a fire year,” said Tyler. “Our winds and the recent heatwave have exacerbated the issue, consuming thousands of acres. So we need to be extra cautious.”
This heatwave has dried out the landscape and set temperature records from California to Oregon and Nevada. Authorities also noted that the extremely rainy winter played a role — it covered landscapes with grass, which quickly dried out with the warming. This creates very suitable conditions for fire spread.
When it comes to wildfires, being prepared is the best thing you can do for your home, family, and community. To reduce the destructive impact of fires, you can take proactive measures. About 80% of homes affected by fires could have been saved if people were prepared.
The websites readyforwildfire.org тand wfca.com provide detailed guides and many materials on how to prepare for wildfires and prevent them, as well as what to do in case of danger. We have gathered the most important recommendations.
1. Ensure your home is fire-safe
California residents can fortify their homes using fire-resistant building materials, especially for roofs, siding, porches, and decks. Embers often cause wildfires to spread to buildings. Therefore, it is important to keep them away from your home or any outbuildings. Use metal mesh on ventilation openings and screens on windows to prevent sparks and embers from entering your home.
You can find other tips for hardening your home here.
2. Create a defensible space around your property
You can build a defensible space around your home to act as a buffer between your house and any nearby trees, grass, or shrubs. This helps slow the spread of fire. The defensible space zone around your home, known as the home ignition zone, is divided into three areas.
- Immediate zone, or Zone 1, is the house itself and the space up to 5 feet from it. This zone should be completely cleared of flammable materials, especially during droughts.
- Intermediate zone or Zone 2 is 5–30 feet from your home. This zone can be protected from fires with fire-resistant plants (trees or shrubs with moist leaves, watery sap, and thick bark) and landscaping to prevent the fire from spreading from your yard to your house.
- Extended zone or Zone 3 is 30–200 feet from your home. This zone can be cleared of debris and properly arranged with trees and shrubs. This will slow down the fire, keep it low to the ground, and prevent it from spreading quickly.
How to properly arrange trees and shrubs on the site? Maintain vertical and horizontal spacing.
For vertical spacing:
- Prune tree branches at least 6 feet from the ground.
- Increase the vertical distance between shrubs and trees to prevent the fire from spreading.
- Use the formula to calculate vertical distance: multiply the shrub height by 3 to get the clearance. For example, for a 5-foot-tall shrub next to a tree, a distance of 15 feet to the lowest tree branch is required.
Horizontal spacing depends on the slope of the land and the height of the shrubs or trees. Check the table below to determine the spacing.
3. Create an evacuation kit and emergency action plan
Time is crucial when dealing with wildfires. In some cases, homeowners may have only a few minutes to grab personal belongings before having to evacuate. To be prepared, start by organizing important documents and securely storing them either electronically on a USB drive, in a password-protected electronic folder, or in a fireproof safe. Check your home insurance policy to ensure it adequately covers the current value of your home and includes wildfire provisions. Additionally, develop an emergency evacuation plan tailored to your home and assemble an emergency kit containing essential supplies.
4. Be cautious when visiting wild areas
California has many national parks and well-known wild areas where Americans enjoy spending time. When preparing for nature exploration, check local fire restrictions and avoid fire-related activities in hot, dry, and windy weather or during drought conditions.
Pay attention to any fire hazards around you, including sparks or flammable materials, even from your vehicle or the equipment you are carrying.
5. Join or create a Fire Safe Council in your community
California Fire Safe Council is a nonprofit organization that supports community fire safe councils to help state residents prepare for wildfires. The council offers grants to certain regions and counties in California for education, resources, and tools for wildfire preparation, including evacuation route planning. Participation in a local Fire Safe Council can help your community discuss wildfire risk reduction and disaster response.
Wildfire Mitigation Checklist:
- Learn about the wildfire risk in your area and your community’s wildfire response plan.
- Maintain plants around your home year-round and manage the defensible space around your property.
- Keep flammable materials away from your home.
- Ensure the roof and siding of your home are made of non-combustible materials.
- Use wire mesh to cover ventilation openings in your home where embers might enter. Any attic vents or chimneys can allow burning debris to enter your home and cause a fire.
- Home insurance can help you recover after a wildfire if your home is damaged. Check with your insurer annually to ensure they have a current photo of your property and that you know what your insurance covers. Make a list of important items in your home, garage, and property.
