Wildfire Prevention and Safety Tips

8/15/2017 (Permalink)

If your home or business is damaged by wildfires, SERVPRO of Lafayette/Moraga/Orinda can help restore your property to preloss condition.

Wildfires can occur at anytime and anywhere throughout the year.  Late summer and early fall is typically the peak time for wildfires in California.  People that live or work in an area prone to wildfires are at greater risk.  Wildfires sometimes start naturally by heat ignited from sun light or lightning strikes.  However, majority of the wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans.  Some human-caused fires result from campfires left unattended, negligently discarded cigarettes or intentional acts of arson.  A wildfire can move as fast as 6.5 miles per hour in forest and 14 miles an hour in grassland, consuming trees, homes, natural resources, humans and everything in its path.  

By working together, we can make our residents and neighborhood safer from wildfires by taking safety precautions.  Here are some wildfire safety tips to help prevent wildfire from occurring.

Wildfire Safety Tips

• Clear leaves and other debris from gutters, eaves, porches and decks. Remove dead vegetation from under your deck and within 10  feet  of the  house.  This prevents embers from igniting your home.
• Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches. Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris from accumulating.
• Ensure flammable materials (firewood stacks, propane tanks, dry vegetation) are more than 30 feet from your home or business's foundation and outbuildings.
• Wildfire can spread to tree tops. If you have trees on your property, prune so the lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet from the ground.
• Keep your lawn hydrated and maintained. If it is brown, cut it down to reduce fire intensity. Dry grass and shrubs are fuel for wildfire.
• Inspect shingles or roof tiles. Replace or repair shingles that are loose or missing to prevent ember penetration.
• Cover exterior attic vents with metal wire mesh no larger than 1/8 inch to prevent sparks from entering the home.
• Enclose eaves and screen soffit vents using 1/8 mesh metal screening to prevent ember entry.

SERVPRO of Lafayette/Moraga/Orinda specializes in fire and water damage restoration. We have the specific damage restoration training, personnel, and equipment and can quickly restore your home to pre-fire condition.  Call us today 925-299-1323.