American Red Cross - Are You Ready - Wildfire

At a glance..

Wildfires often begin unnoticed. They spread quickly, igniting bush, trees, and homes. Reduce your risk by preparing now -- before wildfire strikes. Meet with your family to decide what to do and where to go if wildfires threaten your area. Follow the steps listed in this brochure to protect your family, home and property.

The details..

With more people moving into woodland settings or living near forests, rural areas or remote mountain sites, the danger of wildfire is becoming increasingly real. Wildfires can start unnoticed and spread quickly through brush, trees and homes. This book aims to help readers reduce their risk by preparing ahead of time before a wildfire strikes.

The first step in protecting oneself from wildfires is practicing safety measures such as keeping matches out of reach from children and regularly cleaning roof gutters. The author also recommends creating an escape plan with multiple routes away from one's home both by car and foot. Additionally, it's important to talk with neighbors about wildfire safety so that everyone knows what to do if a fire breaks out.

To prevent fires from spreading around one's home during a wildfire threat requires careful planning beforehand. Designing landscapes using non-combustible materials like hardwood trees instead of pine or evergreen ones can help contain fires rather than fuel them further. Creating at least 30-50 feet (or up to 100 feet for homes built in pine forests) around one's home free of flammable vegetation will also help reduce potential exposure to flames.

In case evacuation becomes necessary due to an approaching firestorm; listeners should follow instructions given by local officials while listening carefully via battery-operated radios for updates on the situation outside their doors.