Harden for wildfire
Harden for wildfire
Why?
In California, catastrophic wildfires are growing in number and size. Do what you can to protect yourself and your family.
Prepare for smoke
Poor air quality can be a health hazard, especially for children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with lung and heart conditions. Protect your health by taking recommended precautions.
Resources:
Harden your home and create defensible space (for building owner)
Your home can be exposed to wildfire in three ways: direct flames from a wildfire or neighboring home, radiant heat from nearby burning plants or structures, and flying embers. Flying embers from a wildfire can destroy homes up to a mile away and are responsible for the destruction of most homes during a wildfire.
Resources:
Create defensible space
This is the buffer you create between a building on your property and the grass, trees, shrubs, or any wildland area that surround it. This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and it helps protect your home from catching fire.
If you live in the country, check out this Community Grazing Cooperative as a potential way to empower yourself in land stewardship. Shared by the community, the grazing ruminants are walked down the road from neighbor to neighbor to serve as community ambassadors and to help manage everyone's fire fuel load.
Local nonprofit Audubon Canyon Ranch's robust Fire Forward Program trains people to safely use “good fire" and help build resilient communities.