Wildfire Much of the region is within the Wildland Urban Interface and much of the interface is adjacent to steep mountainous forests. Dry conditions at various times of the year greatly increase the potential for wildland fires. Protecting your residence from wildfire is a shared responsibility.
Natural Hazards
Prepare your residence now
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• Remove items that will burn from around the house, including wood piles, shrubs that are against the building, and wood mulch (use rock mulch instead). • Replace cedar shake roofs with new low-flammability shingles. • Consider replacing wooden siding with nonflammable siding or stucco. • Have trees trimmed so branches are not over or near the structures. • Keep roof gutters clear of debris. • Remove fallen leaves/pine needles as soon as possible after they fall.
Before the fire approaches your residence • Prepare an emergency evacuation kit for your household. • Ensure you have communication and evacuation Plans. • Anyone with medical or physical limitations and the young and the elderly should be evacuated immediately. • Clear items from around the house that will burn, including wood piles, lawn furniture, grills, tarp coverings, etc. • Close all external doors and windows, insideto-outside vents, shutters, blinds, or heavy noncombustible window coverings to reduce radiant heat. • Close all doors inside the house to prevent draft. • Shut off any natural gas, propane, or fuel oil supplies at the source. • Fill any pools, hot tubs, garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water. • Place a ladder against the house in clear view. • Back your vehicle into the garage and roll up the windows. Place your evacuation kit, valuable papers, mementos, and anything “you can’t live without” inside the vehicle. • Disconnect any automatic garage door openers so that doors can still be opened by hand if the power goes out. Keep the garage doors closed.
Prepare to leave • Turn on outside lights and leave a light on in every room to make the house more visible in heavy smoke. • Evacuate your pets and family members when an evacuation order is given. • It is okay to leave before an evacuation order is given. If you do not feel safe, evacuate right away. • Notify relatives of your location.
What to do during a wildfire If you are trapped at your residence: • Stay calm. As the fire front approaches, go inside the residence. Fire conditions and smoke will be much worse outside.
If you are in a vehicle: • Staying in your vehicle is preferred to running from a fire on foot. • Roll up windows, close air vents, and drive slowly with the headlights on. • Do not drive through heavy smoke. • Try to park in an open area, turn headlights on, and leave the ignition on if you have to stop. • Get on the floor of the vehicle and cover up with a blanket or coat. • Stay in the vehicle until the main fire passes.
If caught in the open: • Seek an open area free of trees and shrubs. • If on a mountainside, try to move to the back side of the hill, away from the fire. • Avoid canyons, natural chimneys and saddles as fire and heat condense and move up these quickly. • Lie face down along the road cut or in the ditch on the uphill side if a road is nearby. • Cover yourself with anything that will shield you from the heat. ▪ Lie down and protect your airway with an N-95 mask, breathing filter, or tight-woven fabric.
What is a Red Flag Warning? A Red Flag Warning is a notice issued by the National Weather Service, when warm temperatures combine with low humidity and strong wind to create extreme risk of fire danger. Fires are more likely to catch and spread quickly during these conditions. Prior to a Red Flag Warning, a Fire Weather Watch may be issued up to 72 hours in advance of expected Red Flag Warning conditions, to call attention to the future potential of increased fire danger.