Wildfire prevention checklist

Your home

• Avoid building homes on ridge tops and in canyons.
• Use ignition-resistant construction materials for roofs, roof assemblies, gutter, downspouts, vents, and exterior wall surfaces.
• Use fire-resistant wall surfaces such as stucco or fire-resistant paints for exterior wood siding and fences.
• Use dual-pane (inert gas) windows and sliding doors for insulation value and fire-prevention capabilities.
• Enclose the underside of eaves, balconies, and decks with ignition-resistant materials.
• Provide weather-tight doors for all crawlspaces and access hatches on your home.
• Where possible, use fire-resistant materials when building fences, walls, and other barriers/separations.
• Screen all vent openings with ¼-inch or smaller non-corrosive metal mesh.
• Make a list of important items you need to take with you in the event of a quick evacuation:
  • Medications, prescriptions, eyeglasses
  • Important documents, (birth certificates, tax records)
  • Photos, art, jewelry and other important mementos
  • Pets, pet food, leash and pet carrier(s)
  • Computers or back up disks 

Your property

• When the size of the property permits, provide a defensible space of at least 100 feet around your home –30 feet around the structure and 70 additional feet to the property line or street.
• Prune/trim trees to prevent accumulation of dead branches and excess combustible foliage. The rule of thumb is to clear branches at least six feet off the ground. And keep them away from roof lines, windows, patio doors, skylights, balconies, and decks.
• Keep your property clear of yard waste, dead plant material, combustible construction materials, and other piles of flammable items.
• Maintain a maximum height of 3 inches for all living and dead grasses around your home.
• Select fire-resistant shrubs and ground cover materials for planters and landscaped areas.
• Stack firewood, lumber, and other combustible materials at least 30 feet away from any structures.
• Place LPG tanks and containers at least 30 feet from any structures and maintain a clear area around them of at least 10 feet.
• Store combustible refuse containers (e.g. trash cans, recycle containers, green-waste bins) away from your home and other combustible structures (e.g. wood fences, shed). Be aware that plastic trash cans are highly flammable.
• When possible, maintain an additional emergency water supply of at least 2,500 gallons in a pool or pond.
• Ensure that street signs are visible and cleared of debris so emergency services can locate your property if dispatched.
• Clear overhanging branches and combustible vegetation 10 feet from roadways and 5 feet from driveways.
• Make sure your driveway is wide enough to permit passage of emergency vehicles. Maintain a turn-around area at the end of long driveways or dead-end roads.