Protecting your Home from a Brush Fire                                                        Danger spots around your home and what you can do to eliminate them Untreated Wood Shake Roofs: Untreated, wood shake roofs which can catch windblown sparks, are the number one cause of home losses in wildland areas. Solution: If you re-roof, install a fire-resistant roof. Debris on Roof: Tinder dry needles and leaves on your roof and in your rain gutters can easily catch fire and endanger your home. Solution: Sweep your gutters and roof on a regular basis, especially during the dry, hot weather of the fire season Tree Limbs too Close to your Chimney and Roof: Tree limbs too close to your chimney can easily ignite and endanger your home. Dead limbs overhanging your home may ignite and spread a fire to your home Solution: Trim all tree limbs that are within 10 feet of your chimney and remove all dead limbs overhanging your home or garage.  No Screen on Attic and Foundation Vents: Sparks or embers from an approaching wildland fire can get into your home through unprotected vents and ignite your home. Solution: Cover your attic and foundation vents with wire mesh no larger than 1/2 inch mesh.  No Spark Arrester on your Chimney: A spark from your chimney can ignite the surrounding vegetation or an untreated wood shake roof. Solution: To insure that you don't create your own spark hazard, screen your chimneys with 1/2 inch mesh noncombustible wire screening.  Combustible Materials Stored too Close to your Home: Firewood or other combustible materials stored too close to your home can ignite and cause a fire to spread to your home. Solution: Store all combustible materials away from your home and keep the lids on your garbage cans.  No Address Visible from the Street: No visible address number will cause a delay in an emergency response. Remember the fire department can not help you if we can't find you. Solution: Make sure that your home can be quickly identified by ensuring that its address is clearly marked and visible.  Overgrown, Dead Landscape: Overgrown, dead landscape can ignite and endanger your home. Solution: Maintain your landscape. Trim and remove any dead vegetation. If you are re-landscaping, choose plants that are fire-resistive.  No Defensible Space Between Your Home and Vegetation: Flammable vegetation too close to your home will make it almost impossible for firefighters to save your home in the event of a brush fire. Solution:  Vegetation management is key. In most areas, a safety zone should be cleared away from your home for a distance of not less than 30 feet. As the slope of your lot increases, additional clearance as far out as 100 feet or more may be necessary. Remember the three R's of Defensible Space:  Removal, Reduction, Replacement Clearance also depends on whether or not there are ladder fuels that would enable fire to climb into trees. Trees and shrubs are fine, as long as dead or low hanging branches are removed.   You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view many articles on this site.   Woodside Fire Protection District Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. 3111 Woodside Rd., Woodside, CA 94062 Tel 650-851-1594Fax 650-851-3960