With the intensifying summer heat, it’s important to take a few steps to protect your California home from falling victim to a wildfire. Here are a few considerations to make:
1.) Start with a fire resistant base. Does your home have wood siding or shingles? Replacing these with fire resistant materials can help keep you safe.
2.) Create a fire barrier. Widening your driveway or walkway can help guard your house from a fire, whereas wood decks or fences can lead a blaze right to your front door. A metal gate or concrete slab may also be a good idea.
3.) Clean up potential tinder. Twigs and leaves that get caught in your gutters can catch fire, so it’s smart to clean them up before that occurs!
4.) Move the woodpile. Having firewood for the colder months is a great idea, but be sure to keep it safely away from the home during the summer and fall.
5.) Trim and separate trees. Make sure no tree limbs are hanging over your roof; they should be no closer than 30 feet from the home. Separating tree crowns can prevent fire from jumping from tree to tree, and removing dead branches and trimming low branches will slim the chances of a grass firing igniting leaves.
6.) Cut back brush. Brush should also be kept at a safe distance from your structures- no closer than three feet.
7.) Make sure your California home insurance is up to date. Sometimes, despite all our careful precautions, accidents happen, and it’s important to make sure you are properly protected in a worst case scenario.