Preparing For Wildfires

By Devon Molark


Fires very quickly spread from tree to tree in dense forest. Taking some of these precautions will keep you and your family safer, as well as your home, before the evacuation crews order you to leave:

Have a getaway bag prepared: You may not get a lot of time, so having a gym bag packed with essentials in the front hall closet will ensure you have what you need. If one of your family members is not home when disaster strikes, you will be able to gather up what is important for them as well. Essentials include prescription medicines and photocopies of important documents. It would make this tough time easier if you have toiletries and electronics ready to go as well.

Data: It would be wise for you to automatically back up your data on an external hard drive, so that you don't find yourself trying to unplug your desktop and lug it with you while running out the door.

Don't forget dangers from above: Overhead power lines could be attached to your home, so keep them free of any debris or vegetation and be sure trees are not near to them. Fires can bring down trees, but a wind storm can do the same thing.

Create a zone of protection: If you can ensure the area within 10 metres of your home is free of trees, flammable vegetation and other combustibles, you'll go a long way towards protecting your home.

Prevention is best: People who are not careful are the cause of half of the wild fires each year. It just takes one spark to start a huge tragic fire, cause by a controlled burns that gets out of hand, campfires that are carelessly left, or still burning cigarette butts.

Don't build camp fires when the weather's been dry, and never smoke in fire hazard areas. It's shocking, but some people throw burning cigarettes from their vehicle even today, don't be one of those people. Dry vegetation on the side of the road can catch fire quite quickly from an still burning cigarette butt.

Cut back vegetation around your home. Be certain to choose fireproof building materials when building a home, if you can. This could include fire resistant shingles, tempered glass windows, a spark arrestor on your chimney. Your home insurance premiums can also be reduced by taking precautions like these.

A prepared evacuation plan is essential. Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do. Have an emergency kit prepared as well. This should include non-perishable foods and at least a three-day supply of drinking water. Other helpful items include a portable radio, a flashlight, batteries, and a first-aid kit.

You can slow down a fire that is coming your way by having containers like garbage cans filled with water, as well as a pool or hot tub. If an official evacuation order is handed down, don't take chances, leave the home immediately To make your home more simple to recognize, use address numbers that are fireproof. Firefighters will find your house much more quickly if you take that precaution.

It almost goes without saying, but if you see a wildfire, be sure to call 911 right away.

Make sure you have the right home insurance. A wildfire could strike at any time, so be sure that your home insurance is adequate, so that if a tragedy occurs and your home is lost, you can have it rebuilt without losing everything.



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