Protecting Your Home From Wildfires

12-29-05 - Experts say there are some simple ways to help protect your home from wildfires. From watering your lawn and roof to cleaning up pine needles and scrap wood, they say every little bit helps.

Some homes are at a greater risk than others, especially those in the county where there's not only a lot of open pasture, but also some unincorporated areas with high grass.

But no matter where you live, keeping your property's foundation moist should be something everyone is doing.

Fire departments recommend you keep your grass cut short and your trees and hedges pruned. Also, at least one-to-two times a week, water your lawn, your trees, and your landscaping.

Cedar burns faster than types of wood, so if you have cedar trees or cedar mulch, make sure they stay moist.

If you set your sprinkler, point it upwind so that it covers a larger area.

But when the fires do start, firefighters can't get to every house, and in those cases like we saw several times this week, you may have to protect your home yourself.

As dry as it is, the fires are traveling much hotter and faster in the high grass. Also if you have cedar trees near you, keep an eye on them. Cedar wood burns quickly, but also if you look down below they drop needles and leaves, make sure you are raking them back because they are the perfect fuel for grass fires.

Most burn bans in effect restrict all outdoor burning. That includes any kind of welding or grinding that could produce sparks.