California Wildfire Season: How to Prepare

6/30/2021 (Permalink)

Our staff at SERVPRO of Citrus Heights/Roseville, and Carmichael are fully trained to clean up and restore your home if there is a fire.

Disaster can strike without warning. It is preparedness, our great weapon. While you might never need to use any of the resources you prepare, it is better to have them ready.

Wildfire season is fast approaching. Not to mention, July 4 is also around the corner. Although it is already a negotiation to ban or not use firecrackers, looking at how dry and hot it is already, being prepared is a win-win situation.

It is the time of the year that you are at a high risk of a possible wildfire.

Sign Up for Fire Alerts.

Be updated with the latest situation around you. Have several ways to receive alerts.

Register to get texts from Cal Fire’s plan.readyforwildfire.org, and download their app to receive personal wildfire readiness plans and check current incidents.
Find updates about local air quality, current weather conditions, and weather forecasts.
Check National Emergency Alerts, as well as FEMA, as an additional resource for gathering the latest situation in your area.

Review Important Documents.

Make sure your homeowner's and renter's insurance policies, as well as personal documentation such as identification cards, are current. Make duplicates and store them in a password-protected digital vault, an external drive, or the cloud.

Here is a checklist that you may use for your household documents, contacts, and valuables.

Have a Fire Safe Home.

You must ensure that your property complies with California's building and fire standards, which require homeowners to take proactive measures to protect their property from wildfires.

When constructing, renovating, or repairing a structure, use fire-resistant materials.
Create a fire-resistant zone or a defensible space at least 30 feet away from your home that is clear of leaves, trash, and flammable materials.
Make a room that can be sealed off from the outdoors. All doors and windows should be shut when smoky conditions exist, set up a portable air cleaner to keep interior pollution levels low.
Find an outdoor water supply that you can reach with a hose from anywhere on your property.

Create an Evacuation Plan.

You may have to evacuate quickly due to a wildfire. It is a must to have all the things ready and that each of the household members is well-aware of the evacuation routes.

Make a "go bag” or an emergency supply kit - a collection of items - that you can take with you. Each family member should have this kit. It is a must that you also keep extra kits in your car in the event you can not get to your home because of a fire.
Understand your Evacuation Zone. Practice with your household, pets, and identify where you will go. You must also understand the risks of having the Covid-19 if you evacuate to a public shelter.

It is critical to obey local authorities' guidelines. They will provide you the most up-to-date advice depending on the threat to your community and the best safety precautions.