HOW SD RESIDENTS CAN PROTECT THEIR HOMES THIS WILDFIRE SEASON

By Andy Nelson, Owner of Willis Allen Real Estate

September 2, 2021 (San Diego) - For most California residents, the thought of summer conjures many timeless images and traditions: backyard barbecues, warm weather, vacations, and children being out of school- to name a few. Increasingly, however, another image is becoming synonymous with California summers: wildfires.

San Diego County is not immune to these disasters; 2020 was an especially bad year for San Diego County, with 2021 already being worse. At the time of this writing, the Chaparral Fire has already blazed through over 1400 acres in the Cleveland National Forest in both San Diego and Riverside counties. The Chaparral Fire is one of several fires in the county that have already burned more than 8,000 acres.

With the level of threat increasing, it’s no wonder that many residents are searching for ways to be best prepared, should a fire get closer to home than expected. As the saying goes: “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Below are some steps anyone can take to ensure that they’re prepared for wildfire season.

Hardening Your Home

1. Know the wildfire conditions near your home. Ready San Diego has a wildfire hazard map that illustrates the fire hazard severity in your area. Look where your home is located so that you can be aware of the hazards that exist.
2. Remove material that can fuel fires around your home. Embers can travel more than a mile once they become airborne. If these embers land on any combustible material on or near your home, the chances of fire become very high. Some actions to take include:

· Remove deadwood and vegetation from all of your plants and trees

· Make sure your gutters are clear of dead leaves and wood

· Box in any open eaves, screens, or vents. This will prevent embers from entering your home and causing an internal fire

3. Consider creating a defensible space. CalFire advises on their site https://www.readyforwildfire.org that residents create a “defensible space” to improve their home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. Detailed instructions on how to do this can be found here. 

4. Work with your neighbors. Your home is only as fireproof as your neighbor’s, so it’s important everyone in your community works to mitigate the risks of wildfire. Don’t be afraid to approach your neighbor and attempt to work collaboratively to alleviate the risks of fire. You can also consider taking charge of wildfire awareness on your block if someone hasn’t already. The National Fire Protection Association has a page full of resources that you can use to help educate and motivate your surrounding neighbors. 

Being Prepared for Evacuation

Hardening your home, and helping your neighbors harden theirs, is the most crucial step you can take in increasing the odds of saving your home. If a wildfire gets within close proximity to your home, however, you may be asked to evacuate. If that time comes, it’s crucial that you’re prepared to do so. The following tips can help with that preparedness:

1. Consider emergency responder access. If you’re being asked to leave your home, there’s a good chance that emergency responders will be heading toward it at some point. Ensure that they have easy access so that they can get within close proximity to the home if needed.
2. Prepare a “go-bag”. If an evacuation order is issued, you must be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. Having a bag prepared will make leaving quickly much easier. Everyone in the household should have a bag that’s easily accessible and contains, at a bare minimum, the following:

·         A change of clothes (don’t forget socks!)

·         Toiletries

·         Flashlight

·         Extra batteries

·         Medication

·         Spare chargers for devices

·         Important documents in a sealed plastic bag

·         Handwritten list of emergency contacts

3. Keep the tank full. In times of wildfire, the last thing you’ll want to do is stop and get gas on the way out of a disaster zone. When wildfires are about, try to remind yourself to fill up the tank every time it hits half-full. By doing so, you’ll always have enough fuel in your vehicle to at least get out of the immediate disaster zone.

The Importance of Preparedness

The most crucial step any resident can take is that of preparedness. By taking the steps above, and by listening to officials during wildfire season, you will be in the best position possible to save your home and--quite possibly--your life.