A burning need for better safety
It's never too early to prepare for a wildfire. You can take several basic steps right now to protect your family or your farm from disaster. In the event of an extreme wildfire event, fire officials may not be able to protect your property, so what you do now can make a difference for your home, outbuildings, farm implements, and farm equipment.
An inside out challenge
You can do a lot to protect your farm from being destroyed by wildfire, both inside and out, and in many cases upgrades can be handled without hiring a contractor or engineer. Regardless, be sure that what you're planning is in line with local building codes before you start.
According to the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), one-third of U.S. homes are located in what fire safety officials call the Wildland Urban Interface, areas that combine housing developments with the natural topography of trees and vegetation. In recent years, homes in these areas have become common casualties of hard-to-control wildfires. IBHS research offers the following observations regarding the ongoing threat from wildfires:
· Homes with the highest risk of burning are on the perimeter of a housing development adjacent to wildlands.
· Wind-blown embers can travel one mile or more, and it’s estimated that up to 50% if of homes burn as a result of embers rather than direct flames.
· Homes along the inner streets of a development built fewer than 15 feet apart are at high risk from the spread of flames and embers.
Start with safety in mind
IBHS offers helpful information on its website, www.disastersafety.org, regarding building and remodeling strategies to increase your likelihood of avoiding or minimizing wildfire damage.
Know what weaknesses you’ve got
Your property is at an increased risk for fire damage if these situations exist.
· Flammable roof material, such as wood shakes and shingles, for example
· Areas of the structure where embers can collect – e.g. leafy gutters, edges of barrel tile roofs, corners of outbuildings
· Any path that will allow embers to get inside your home – e.g. gable vents, soffits
· Any fuel that brings flames within five feet of a structure or farm implement are a hazard – e.g. dried grass, flammable plants, wood piles
· Any wood structure connected to your house, such as a wood deck
· Fuel sources within 30 feet of your home that will support a high intensity spot fire – e.g. firewood, palm tree beards, wood trellises
· Large fuel source such as a continuous tree canopy
· Restricted access to your property by fire personnel – narrow lane, tight turnaround
Keep it clean and clear
Of course, your home can't be destroyed by a wildfire if the wildfire never reaches it. These steps can increase the chances of avoiding the flames altogether.
· Make sure the street number of your house is clearly visible and legible from the road.
· Create a “defensible space” by removing all dry grass, brush, trees, and dead leaves within at least 100 feet from your home.
· Till the dirt around your outbuildings and farm implements so dry grass does not grow up to them.
· Plant native, fire-resistive vegetation around your home whenever possible.
· Space trees and shrubs at least 10 feet apart. Reduce the number of trees in heavily wooded areas.
· For trees taller than 18 feet, prune lower branches within 6 feet of the ground to keep ground fires from spreading into treetops.
· Remove all dead branches overhanging your roof and all branches within 15 feet of chimneys.
· Enclose the underside of balconies and aboveground decks with fire-resistant or noncombustible materials.
· Store firewood at least 30 feet downhill from any structure.
· If possible, maintain an emergency water supply within 1,000 feet of your home.
· Avoid using bark and wood-chip mulch.
Contact your local fire department and ask them to come by your property so they can familiarize themselves with it.
Enclose decks that are close to the ground to prevent the accumulation of debris or keep the areas under the deck clean from debris, such as dried leaves and pine needles
Don’t panic
Wildfires can spread quickly, so speed and efficiency are the keys to protecting your home and your family. Vacate your property when requested to do so by the authorities. If you have time when a wildfire is approaching:
· Remove flammable materials like trash, out door furniture, cushions, etc. from around your home. Embers can ignite them.
· Move any waste containers away from your home.
· Shut off the gas.
· Be ready to soak roofs, shrubs, and trees with water within 15 feet of any buildings.
· Close all windows and doors, and remove window coverings such as curtains or blinds.
· Disconnect any automatic garage door openers so if the power goes out, you can still open the door.
Helpful resources
This information is meant to help you make decisions that may reduce your risk of injury and property damage. Of course, we can't note every possible risk, and we can’t guarantee that these tips will work for you. However, we hope that if you use some of them, you'll better protect your family and yourself. There are many websites with information regarding wildfires. We recommend reviewing the following key websites or consulting with your local fire department for additional information.
· nationwide.com/catastrophes/wildfires.jsp
· alliedinsurance.com/allied/web/property/wildfire-safety.jsp
· disastersafety.org
· firesafecouncil.org
· firewise.org
· wildfirezone.org
Contributed by Allied Insurance, part of the Nationwide family of companies. To learn more about quality insurance coverages and Farm Bureau discounts, visit www.nationwide.com/CFBF, contact a local agent representing Nationwide Insurance or Allied Insurance, or contact John Valentine at 916-924-4393 or valentj4@nationwide.com.
Thursday, July 16, 2009 08:31:16 PM
