Be proactive in preparing for wildfire threats.
Even if you’ve taken precautions to make your home or business resistant to wildfires, take time each year to review your preparations.
Let’s discuss the whys, whats, and hows of wildfire preparation for homeowners and business owners. Find additional tips on our wildfire page.
Why – The importance of preparation
- Do it before the “crazy” times arrive. Making preparations in advance can reduce stress during the event.
- When a wildfire is on its way, it’s too late.
- Don’t be afraid of the unknown – embrace it and prepare for it.
What – Be proactive
Develop an emergency preparedness plan with everyone in your home or business.
- Assess and address your family’s unique situation:
- Do you have young children, elderly family members, special needs or disabled members? Do you have pets or collections that you like? Do you employ domestic workers?
- Look around the house and make a checklist of important items.
- Assess your business’s unique situation and address:
- Do you have employees with children?
- Are there hazardous or flammable materials on site?
- Plan for the worst case scenario; Anything less than this, you’re gone!
- Know your evacuation routes. Establish multiple routes in case roads are blocked or closed.
Make an emergency kit with a 3-day supply of water and food per person.
- Consider kit locations:
- house – Keep it in a designated place that everyone knows
- work – Be prepared to shelter in place for at least 24 hours at work
- Vehicle – Keep a kit in your car in case you get stranded
Assemble individual “go bags” for each family member, including pets, as well as for each employee.
- Label them for easy identification.
- Make sure they are easy to find quickly.
- The bag should be portable; A backpack is ideal.
Prepare your home or business to stand on its own, unattended, during a wildfire.
- Build with non-combustible materials.
- Clear brush to create a defensible space between your structure and wild land.
- Trim overhanging trees.
- Keep the roof clear of pine needles, leaves or other debris.
- The rack goes away from the deck below or from fences or other attachments.
- Move wood piles at least 30 feet away from the building and cover with fire-resistant covering.
Make sure your property or business is accessible to first responders.
- Make sure your home or business has legible and clearly marked street numbers.
- Driveways shall be at least 12 feet wide with 15 feet vertical clearance for emergency vehicle access.
- For gated properties, install a security box for keys or leave your gate open if you must evacuate.
How – Move from theory to action
- Comply with all evacuation orders by local authorities.
- Stay abreast of the latest news and updates from local media and the fire department.
- Practice your plan to identify gaps and create strategies to fill those gaps.
This loss control information is advisory only. The authors assume no responsibility for the management or control of loss control activities. Not all exposures are identified in this article.