Welcome to Fire Season (pt.3): Wildfire Preparedness for Your Home and Family (Even the Furry Ones)

We’ve reached the final installment of this year’s series on preparing for wildfire season. We started with a post to introduce wildfire science and behavior, and fire adaptations of plants and animals. Our next post brought you information on wildfire management, including wildland firefighting and firewise communities. 

Now that you have an understanding of the bigger picture of what’s going on during fire season, let’s take a look at what wildfire preparedness looks like at home and when you have to leave it.

Creating a Defensible Space Around Your House for Wildfire

Living in a wildfire-prone area requires vigilance. But, there’s plenty you can do to make your home more fire-resistant and improve its chances of surviving a wildfire. Think of your home and property in the three Home Ignition Zones: Immediate (0-5ft), Intermediate (5-30ft), and Extended (30-100+ft). Each of these zones will require a little bit different wildfire preparedness plans:

Wildfire Preparedness Defensible Space
Source: The National Fire Protection Association

Create a Fire-Resistant Barrier in the Immediate Zone

Your Home: The Immediate zone starts with your house itself. Simple prep and maintenance of structures can really help protect your home from wildfire.

Repair or replace loose or missing shingles to prevent embers from igniting your roof, or consider replacing your roof with fire-safe roofing like metal sheeting or new asphalt shingles.

  • – Vents and Openings: Install fine mesh screens (1/8 inch) over attic vents, crawl space vents, and even under eaves to prevent embers from entering. If your vents are getting old and need replacing, there are also pre-assembled fire resistant vents available.
  • – Windows and Doors: Ensure all windows and doors have tight seals with their weather stripping, and replace any damaged screens to protect against embers and debris build-up. 

If you’re looking to go the extra mile with your wildfire preparedness, look into what fire-resistant windows with steel frames and heat-reflective glazing are available.

  • – Walls and Siding: If you’re wondering how to make your house fireproof from embers and flames completely, don’t overlook one of the largest surface areas that can be affected: the walls!

Choosing fire-resistant siding, like Hardie-board, or fire-safe paint can really reduce your risk, especially if neighboring structures catch fire.

The Immediate zone extends to a 5-foot perimeter all the way around your house, but some things, like decks and patios, may run from the house past that 5-foot boundary into the Intermediate zone.

Wildfire Preparedness Defensible Space

  • – Deck and Patio: Screen or enclose areas under decks and patios to prevent flammable materials from accumulating, and if possible choose fire-resistant deck materials like some composites or pressure treated wood.
  • – Clear the Zone: Establish a perimeter of at least 5 feet around your house free of any flammable materials. This includes leaves, pine needles, twigs, dead branches, and even firewood. Consider replacing flammable landscaping with fire-resistant alternatives like gravel, decomposed granite (DG), or rock gardens.
  • – Combustible Materials: Move flammable items like propane tanks, lawnmowers, and gas cans at least 30 feet away from your house
  • – Clearance: Trim tree branches overhanging your house or chimney to at least 10 feet. Prune lower branches to create a space of 6-10 feet from the ground.
  • – Water Source: Ensure you have a readily available water source to extinguish small fires. A long hose that can reach all sides of your house and your roof is a good idea in case anything ignites.

When you’re choosing any materials to install in your home, like roofing or decking, look for Class A or Class B fire resistance ratings. These classes are determined by how quickly fire will spread on the material, with Class A having the slowest spread rate.

Fire Resistant Landscaping Plants for the Intermediate Zone

Living in a fire-prone area doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice having a beautiful landscape. Fire-resistant landscaping combines attractive plants with fire safety, creating a defensible space around your house for wildfire

Planting Strategies

  • – Create Fuel Breaks: Plant fire-resistant groundcovers and low-growing shrubs closest to your house. If you have a lawn, be sure to cut it to 4” tall. The extra height actually helps to trap moisture close to the ground and creates a barrier that slows down approaching flames.
  • – Vertical Fire Ladders: Avoid planting tall trees directly next to your house. Space them out strategically to prevent flames from using them to reach your roof and protect your home from wildfire. 

Also avoid placing mixed height plants too closely together, and prune branches 6’-10’ up the trunk. Smaller trees should only be trimmed up to ⅓ of their height from the ground. By keeping space between fuel sources like this, you avoid climbing from the ground to tree canopies “like a ladder.”

  • – Maintenance Matters: Regularly remove dead leaves, branches, and debris from around your plants. Keeping up on fuel reduction that could contribute to a fire 
Wildfire Preparedness Tree Spacing
Source: The National Fire Protection Association

Plant Selection for Fire-Resistant Traits

Plants that are fire-resistant won’t contribute much fuel to a fire if it comes on to your property. Things to look for when choosing plants for your landscaping include:

  • – Moisture Content: Plants with higher moisture content are less likely to ignite. Succulents, perennials with thick, fleshy leaves, and many broadleaf trees are good choices.
  • – Low Resin and Sap: Plants with high resin or sap content can burn more intensely. Opt for plants with watery, odorless sap and a low resin content.
  • – Sparse Foliage: Plants with sparse foliage, as opposed to dense and bushy ones, provide less fuel for flames.
  • – Fire Resistant, Not Fireproof: No plant is completely fireproof. Even fire-resistant plants can burn under extreme conditions.

Fire-Resistant Plant Options 

When choosing your fire-resistant plants, it’s always recommended to choose native or naturalized options over exotics. Not only are they adapted to the fire seasons in your area, they also positively contribute to your local ecology.

  • – Low-growing groundcovers: Creeping phlox, Kinnikinnick or Bearberry, sedum, creeping thyme, and carpet bugleweed are all low-growing, fire-resistant options.
  • – Perennials and Shrubs: Fireweed, yarrow, ceanothus, and mockorange are good choices for fire-resistant perennials and shrubs. These choices also have an abundance of other uses, from bringing in pollinators to treating rashes. Plus, they smell nice!
  • – Trees: Deciduous trees like maples, oaks, and quaking aspen are generally more fire-resistant than evergreens. Some evergreens with low resin content like ponderosa pine and western larch can withstand wildfire, just be sure to keep them healthy and clean up their dropped needles.

Beyond Plants

Wildfire Preparedness Hardscape

Fire resistant landscaping plants and plans are an important part of how to prepare your home for wildfires in the Intermediate zone. Remember to combine it with other fire safety measures like creating defensible space and having a fire evacuation plan. With a little planning and prep, you can create a beautiful and fire-resistant landscape that gives you some peace of mind.

When It’s Time to Go: A Wildfire Evacuation Plan for Your Family

Now that you’ve prepared your home and done your due diligence to protect your property, you should be all safe, right? Well, unfortunately, no. Even the best wildfire preparedness plans can get derailed if the fire conditions are severe enough.

So then what? If you have to evacuate, you can’t protect your home from wildfire, but you can still keep your family safe. The last, and possibly most crucial, part of preparing for wildfire season is preparing to run.

Follow the Ready, Set, GO! (RSG) Program for your wildfire safety tips and planning. The “Ready” stage is getting your home and property ready for wildfire season. Having a fire evacuation plan and staying informed puts you in the “Set” stage. If you have to put it all into action, then it’s time to “GO!”

Think like a firefighter

Stay informed by regularly checking news updates and fire maps. Keep in communication with your family members and neighbors. The earlier you are aware of an emergency, the easier it will be to get everyone out safely.

Have a wildfire evacuation plan ready, including meeting spots and exit strategies for your home, work, and school. Memorize the fastest routes to get out of each place and PRACTICE them! 

If you find yourself in a situation that could escalate quickly, try to call out from work and pull kids out of school. Keeping everyone together before an emergency happens will make an evacuation far easier and safer.

Gas Up and GO! Prepare Your Car for Evacuation

In an emergency, you’re going to be relying on your vehicle to get everyone out quickly and safely. To make sure your car is actually reliable when you need it, have it serviced before wildfire season starts

Have everything inspected, including the tires, brakes, and battery. Check or replace the oil, fluids, and filters. Don’t forget the wiper blades and fluid! You can’t drive safely if you can’t see, and smoke deposits and falling ash can cloud your windshield pretty quickly.

Wildfire smoke can clog your air filters rapidly, so it’s a good idea to have a couple engine and cabin air filters on hand. Learning to check and replace the filters yourself will make sure that both your engine and your family are always breathing clean air when you’re on the road.

Proper vehicle maintenance not only keeps it running when you need to get out, but also avoids a dangerous backfire or spark that could cause a fire. Clear out any built-up debris that could ignite, especially around the engine bay or anywhere that gets hot. Keep an emergency kit and well-stocked first aid kit in your car in case you run into any issues on the road. And don’t forget to update your insurance!

Wildfire Preparedness Go Bag Bug Out bag

Gather Your Supplies: What to Pack in Wildfire Go-Bag for Family

Go-bags are an extremely important part of any fire evacuation plan. They become your portable home in a fire emergency, and should be well-stocked for at least three days. That’s right: 72-hours is what you need to prepare for.

When packing your wildfire go-bag, start with the base of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Food, Water, and Shelter. Start with a change of clothes, one and a half gallons of water, and enough non-perishable food for three days. Granola bars and PB&J sandwiches are classic items for these situations, but try PB&J roll ups on tortillas instead to avoid mushy bread.

Next, the 8 P’s

  • – Papers (any important documents, including an itemized list of valuables in case your home is lost), 
  • – Prescriptions (medications, including for pets), 
  • – Passports & IDs
  • – Plastics (credit and debit cards), 
  • – Personal devices (phones and chargers), 
  • – Pictures & Photo albums
  • – PCs (laptops and chargers)
  • – People & Pets!

For complete wildfire preparedness, include some emergency basics, like flashlights, a pocket knife or multi-tool, a handheld radio, extra batteries, and any special items your family specifically needs. Keeping cash on hand in case card readers are down is also a good idea.

If you have room, include a comfort item, like a favorite book, family keepsake, or stuffed animals for kids. It’s important to care for your family’s mental health in stressful situations like this.

Try to refresh supplies regularly, like food and water at least once a week, and everything else every six months. Remember to keep your go-bags light and accessible, either by the door or on you, so you’re ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Furry Friends Don’t Get Left Behind: How to Prepare Pets for Wildfire Evacuation

The chaos and stress of an evacuation can be overwhelming for pet owners. With a little preparation, though, you can ensure your furry companions stay safe during a wildfire emergency. Remember, pets can practice wildfire preparedness too!

Start by making sure your pets are up to date on their vet visits and have their tags on them, so they can be identified and returned if they get loose. Get them used to being crated for evacuations, and practice your fire evacuation plan with them.

Packing your pet’s wildfire go-bag is not that different from your own, but they don’t have all the electronics and credit cards. Include three days worth of water, kibble or freeze-dried food, and medications (maybe consider CBD treats or a prescribed sedative to help keep them calm). Food and water dishes are a necessity, as well as their favorite toys or blankies to help them relax.

Wildfire Preparedness

Goodbye to Fire Season

Well folks, that’s it for this year’s wildfire season prep series. Hopefully you’re feeling secure and armed with the knowledge you need to stay safe this fire season. Thank you for reading along, and enjoy the rest of your summer!

When you’re ready to learn about your insurance options to keep you covered this fire season, please reach out online or give us a call!

541.482.0831 Ashland

541.857.0679 Medford