You don’t have to live near a canyon or forest for your property to be threatened by wildfire. Nearly one third of U.S. homes are in wildfire-prone areas, according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. California is behind Texas as the most wildfire-prone states. The key to surviving a wildfire and protecting your home is being prepared.

PREPARE IN ADVANCED FOR A FIRE

• Place fire extinguishers throughout your home.
• Create an emergency evacuation plan, including an established meeting place, and practice the plan.
• Consider where you will be evacuating family members, pets and/or livestock.
• Identify resources in your neighborhood you can call to help you if you are at work or on vacation.
• Document the contents of your home for insurance with photos stored in a different location.
• Teach family members how to survive catching on fire — stop, drop and roll.

If fire is approaching and it’s safe to do so, prepare your home

• Relocate flammable furniture or materials away from your home.
• Close shutters, blinds and heavy drapes.
• Close fireplace dampers and screens.
• Shut all interior and exterior doors, and leave them unlocked.
• Put a note on the front door with names of all evacuees, time and date of evacuation, the intended destination and contact information.
• Place a ladder outside for access to the roof.
• If possible, leave a running sprinkler on the roof of your home.

CREATE AN EMERGENCY DISASTER KIT

• First aid supplies/emergency tools.
• Medications.
• Battery-powered radio.
• Flashlight and extra batteries.
• Car keys/cash and credit cards.
• Water and non-perishable food.
• Blankets or sleeping bags.

KNOW THE 5 P’S OF IMMEDIATE EVACUATION

• People and pets.
• Papers and important documents.
• Prescriptions.
• Pictures and irreplaceable memories.
• Personal computers.

ROW FIRE PREVENTION TIPS

• Is the extinguisher full? If it’s been used, it must be refilled immediately.
• When welding or performing hot work, ensure you have a fire watch and an extinguisher.
• Trucks have catalytic converters. Don’t drive off the ROW into high grass or weeds that may ignite from contact.
• Only attempt to fight fires that are still in the beginning stages.

VIEW WILDFIRE PREVENTION FLYER