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:
A getaway bag will help: Keep some of your most important belongings in a bag near the front door, so that you can grab it and go if you need to evacuate quickly. This will also make any temporarily away family members feel better, since you can protect their most valued items. Essentials include prescription medicines and photocopies of important documents. Some optional but important things would be your electronic items and toiletries.
Important Data: Back up your data on an external hard drive automatically, so that if you need to leave in a hurry, you can just grab the drive, and have more time to get other irreplaceable items.
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. Trees fall down, not only in fires, but in wind storms as well.
Build a protective zone: A 10 metre area around your home should be free of any flammable objects, so clear away any dead vegetation, trees, or other refuse.
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. Never discard of a burning cigarette our of your car window. Cigarettes can cause a fire in the grass as it smoulders away.
If there is any extra vegetation near your house, clear it away. Your home should be constructed from materials that are fireproof or fire resistant, if you have those options. Fire resistant shingles, a spark arrestor on your chimney, and tempered glass windows go a long way to help prevent disaster. Your home insurance premiums can also be reduced by taking precautions like these.
Have an evacuation plan ready. Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do. You'll need to prepare an emergency kit. The kit must have a minimum of 3 days drinking water, and some foods that are non-perishable. You should also include a first-aid kit, a flashlight and batteries, and a portable radio.
Fill any large containers, such as pools, hot tubs, or garbage cans with water to slow down an approaching fire. If an official evacuation order is handed down, don't take chances, leave the home immediately Use fireproof door numbers on your home, so that it can be easily identified. Your home will be determined faster by firefighters this way.
It almost goes without saying, but if you see a wildfire, be sure to call 911 right away.
Having adequate home insurance is even more important when you live in an area that is more susceptible to wildfires. 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.
A getaway bag will help: Keep some of your most important belongings in a bag near the front door, so that you can grab it and go if you need to evacuate quickly. This will also make any temporarily away family members feel better, since you can protect their most valued items. Essentials include prescription medicines and photocopies of important documents. Some optional but important things would be your electronic items and toiletries.
Important Data: Back up your data on an external hard drive automatically, so that if you need to leave in a hurry, you can just grab the drive, and have more time to get other irreplaceable items.
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. Trees fall down, not only in fires, but in wind storms as well.
Build a protective zone: A 10 metre area around your home should be free of any flammable objects, so clear away any dead vegetation, trees, or other refuse.
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. Never discard of a burning cigarette our of your car window. Cigarettes can cause a fire in the grass as it smoulders away.
If there is any extra vegetation near your house, clear it away. Your home should be constructed from materials that are fireproof or fire resistant, if you have those options. Fire resistant shingles, a spark arrestor on your chimney, and tempered glass windows go a long way to help prevent disaster. Your home insurance premiums can also be reduced by taking precautions like these.
Have an evacuation plan ready. Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do. You'll need to prepare an emergency kit. The kit must have a minimum of 3 days drinking water, and some foods that are non-perishable. You should also include a first-aid kit, a flashlight and batteries, and a portable radio.
Fill any large containers, such as pools, hot tubs, or garbage cans with water to slow down an approaching fire. If an official evacuation order is handed down, don't take chances, leave the home immediately Use fireproof door numbers on your home, so that it can be easily identified. Your home will be determined faster by firefighters this way.
It almost goes without saying, but if you see a wildfire, be sure to call 911 right away.
Having adequate home insurance is even more important when you live in an area that is more susceptible to wildfires. 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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