The Allstate Blog » Wildfire

National Preparedness Month: Be Prepared [SLIDESHOW]

Melissa — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:00:22 +0000

Don’t wait for a natural disaster or other catastrophe before you think about what your family would do in an emergency. September is National Preparedness Month, and it gives you the perfect opportunity to get ready for whatever Mother Nature may have in store. Whether it's a hurricane, a tornado, an earthquake, a wildfire or some other catastrophe, there are specific steps you can take to make sure you’re ready. [slideshow]

Wildfire Prevention: Preparing Your Property

Melissa — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 11:00:18 +0000

More than 100,000 wildfires occur each year in the United States, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Some are due to natural causes, such as lightning strikes, while others are accidentally — or, sadly, intentionally — caused by human beings. Regardless of their origins, these fires destroy an average of 4.2 million acres annually. Most of these fires burn west of the Missouri River, in and around the Rocky Mountains and in the desert Southwest. These places are known for their startling natural beauty and their attractiveness to those seeking homes near wilderness areas. They also are known for high summer temperatures, low humidity levels and, particularly in recent years, parching drought. With tinder-dry vegetation and increasingly thick woodland growth due to decades of fire suppression, these regions tend to be ground zero for wildfires. With increasing numbers of people living in the wildland-urban interface, where homes lie near and within wild areas, the risk also has increased dramatically for destruction of property during wildfire season. What can homeowners do to mitigate that risk? Last week, we offered some tips on how to build or retrofit your home to be fire-resistant. Here, we’d like to offer some additional tips addressing what you can do to prepare your property for a wildfire and add extra lines of defense.

Determine Your Risk Level

First, you will want to determine the risk level around your home: low, moderate or high. Low-risk properties feature relatively flat terrain (a grade of 9 percent or less) and limited wildland, they incorporate native vegetation, they have a fire hydrant within 300 feet, and they offer easy access for fire trucks. All manmade fuels are at least 50 feet from the home, and no trees crowd the structure. Moderate-risk properties have hilly terrain (with grades between 10 and 20 percent), a lightly forested wildland and trees near the house. Native vegetation is not part of the landscape, and manmade fuels are within 50 feet of the house — but the property offers access to fire trucks, and a fire hydrant is within 500 feet. High-risk properties have steep terrain (greater than a 20-percent grade), thickly forested wildland within 100 feet of the home and trees within 30 feet. Native vegetation is not part of the landscape, manmade fuels are within 30 feet of the house, there are no fire hydrants, and the property has limited access for fire trucks.

Create Three "Zones" of Defensible Space

The first zone of defensible space should extend from 30 to 100 feet from your home, depending on risk level. This space should be well-irrigated, and its landscaping should feature carefully spaced indigenous plantings and noncombustible elements, such as rock or brick. The second zone should extend anywhere from 20 to 50 feet from the first, depending on risk level, and your irrigation system also must extend to this space. It may include small plants, shrubs and a few trees, if they’re carefully spaced about 10 feet apart. Remove all dead or dying limbs, and trees taller than 18 feet should have all limbs pruned within 6 feet of the ground. Absolutely no tree limbs should come within 10 feet of the house. The third zone should extend approximately 20 to 50 feet from the second, depending on risk level. For example, in high-risk areas, the three zones together should comprise 200 feet of defensible space, versus 70 feet in a low-risk area. This zone is often called a “modified natural area,” which means homeowners need to thin trees throughout this zone and make sure all dangerous fuels, such as dead or dying bushes and trees, are removed.

Add Additional Lines of Defense

Once you’ve set and cleared your zones, don’t forget to maintain them regularly. They won’t do their job if they become overgrown. This includes keeping grass and weeds trimmed and regularly removing brush piles, clippings and other deadfall. Also, be sure to eliminate manmade fuel sources. This can include replacing wood fences with metal, brick, stone or concrete ones; replacing wooden yard or patio furniture with noncombustible versions; and keeping your woodpile more than 30 feet from your home. Think about ways you can create water sources. Connect at least 100 feet of garden hose to each of your outside taps, and purchase lawn sprinklers that can be used on the roof and around your property in the event of fire. Make sure you have an emergency generator to operate your water pump during a power failure, and consider adding a pond, cistern or even a swimming pool to your landscaping. When adding to your landscaping, consider fire-resistant vegetation. If you’re a tree lover and live at higher altitudes, consider replacing conifers with aspen groves. Stands of aspen serve as fire buffers, while conifers, on the other hand, are prone to “torching,” allowing a wildfire to spread even faster. Replace at least some of the existing vegetation on your property with indigenous, fire-resistant plants, and remember: the plants nearest your home should be smaller and spaced farther apart than the ones in the zones farther out.

Make Life Easier For the Firefighters

As much preparation as you can do to mitigate your risk of wildfire damage, you may still need to rely on the firefighters to finish the job. There are a few things you can do to make it easier for them to help you out.

Make sure that your property number is clearly visible from the street, and all address signs and numbers must be noncombustible. Metal plates on metal poles work best.
Any property gates should be at least 30 feet from the street so a fire truck can pull in, and the gates must swing inward and be wide enough to accommodate firefighting equipment.
Have a ladder on hand that will reach to your roof, and make sure additional fire tools are available, such as rakes, shovels, axes, buckets and hand- or chainsaws.

As with fire-resistant home construction and retrofits, there are no guarantees that these mitigation steps will fully protect your property in the event of a catastrophic wildfire. But, they certainly can improve your odds — and provide an extra measure of safety for your family and for the firefighters who would risk their lives to defend your home.

Wildfire Prevention: Preparing Your Home

Brendan — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 11:00:02 +0000

Let’s face it: We love the mountains and we love the woods. Each year, more people move deeper into America’s wild places, carving out spaces for their dream homes amid scenes of breathtaking natural beauty. In the process, they’re unwittingly creating something else: an expansion in the wildland-urban interface. The biggest problem with WUI expansion is that it interferes with the natural cycle of wildfires, which keeps our forested areas healthy in the long term. Instead, we have an unnatural and dangerous buildup of old vegetation. This can fuel catastrophic, uncontrollable wildfires that threaten property and lives. Fires can damage a home three ways: through radiated heat, firebrands (burning materials that can be carried up to a mile by convection forces and/or wind) and the convection column itself. When we talk about wildfire mitigation, we’re referring to steps you can take around your home and on your property that may help prevent or reduce damage from any or all of the three. Whether you’re building a new house or planning to retrofit your existing one, there are many things you can keep in mind to mitigate wildfire damage.

Use Fire-Resistant Materials

Incorporate fire-resistant building materials wherever possible. This means using metal, tile or asphalt composite shingles for the roofing and nonflammable exterior wall materials such as stucco, brick, plaster, cement or concrete masonry. A cautionary note about aluminum and vinyl siding: Although they are not technically flammable materials, they can lose their integrity at high heat. Many people aren’t aware that radiated heat can ignite combustible materials from more than 100 feet away. Replace single- and even dual-pane windows and skylights with dual- or multi-pane, tempered-glass versions (especially large windows and sliding-glass doors that face the wildland). Add screens as an extra buffer. Additionally, if you have a wood fence attached to your home, replace it with a noncombustible version such as metal, concrete or stone — and keep it free of climbing vines, weeds and other vegetation.

Check for Gaps

If your siding is combustible or not fire rated, make sure there are no spaces for embers to accumulate. Add caulk to all trim-to-siding locations where it has failed or is missing, and establish up to 5 feet of defensible, noncombustible space around your home. After the roof, the eaves, soffits, windows and vents are the weakest links in the event of a fire. Consider open-eave framing or a soffited-eave design… and constructing those eaves and soffits with noncombustible materials. Again, avoid materials that will melt, such as vinyl or PVC. Add metal mesh screens to all vents — such as attic, subfloor, foundation and dryer — to keep sparks out. Consider screening all decks and porches, as well. You’ll also want to weather-seal the perimeter of your garage doors, protecting any flammable materials stored inside.

Check Your Grading

Make sure your decks and porches extend over a flat grade. A fire can move upslope many times faster than on level ground. If you must have a deck that extends over a slope, use noncombustible decking such as Trex. Also, consider building a noncombustible wall across the slope approximately 15 to 20 feet from your deck. Make sure your chimney extends above the roofline, and have a chimney spark arrestor, also known as a chimney guard or chimney screen, in place. These steps will help ensure that you don’t cause the next wildfire by accidentally igniting your roof or nearby trees and vegetation, particularly when dry conditions have made them vulnerable.

Keep Up on Regular Home Maintenance

Keep your roof, gutters and vents clear of debris; firebrands can quickly ignite dried-out organic matter and spread to vulnerable areas such as vents, eaves and your roof. Have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers on every floor of your home. Know how to use the extinguishers.

Ensure Your Access to Water

Can you maintain your water supply with uninterrupted electricity? Consider purchasing a generator to operate your pump in the event of a power failure, and make sure you have a connected, functioning garden hose. Many folks who live in the WUI accept that wildfire risk is the price they pay for living in such beautiful places. They also try to do everything they can to mitigate that risk, for themselves and for the sakes of the firefighters who might have to defend their homes one day. There are no guarantees that these measures will save your home in the event of a large wildfire, but they may improve your chances of minimizing the damage.

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Survive Wildfire Season Through Preparation and Planning

Brendan — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 12:26:34 +0000

This year is shaping up to be a whopper for wildfires – and the season isn’t over yet. As early as March, the Lower North Fork Fire scorched more than 4,000 acres and killed three people in Colorado’s Front Range, and at the time of this writing, the High Park Fire near Fort Collins, Colorado, is raging across roughly 50,000 acres — that’s nearly 90 square miles — and one person has died.

An average of 1.2 million acres of U.S. woodlands burn every year, so homeowners in wildfire-prone areas spend a lot of time learning about fire mitigation techniques and how to prepare their properties to withstand the onslaught of what one Colorado official has memorably called “the dragon.” The High Park Fire is proving to be particularly destructive, with nearly 200 homes lost. Yet, loss of property matters little compared to the loss of life when evacuation notices are not heeded or when homeowners flee too late.

What can you do in advance to make sure your family will be ready?

1. Plan escape/ evacuation routes Know the best evacuation routes to leave your neighborhood. Also have a plan in place to escape the house itself in the event of an emergency evacuation. Designate two meeting places; one can be a safe place outside your home, while the second should be a safe place outside your neighborhood. 2. Keep all important documents together Have a small safe or lockbox for all of your important documents; it’ll be easier to grab than searching for paperwork during an evacuation. These documents might include passports, social security cards, birth and marriage certificates, wills, insurance policies and bank records. 3. Have a family evacuation kit This should include car keys, credit cards or cash, important documents, a First Aid kit, a flashlight, medical supplies if needed, computer hard drives if they contain important records, and photos (digital or print) of every room in your home as well as special valuables for insurance purposes. If these items aren’t all in one place, assign certain items to each family member so they can be gathered quickly. Additionally some applications may allow you to inventory your home and belongings digitally, making evacuation that much easier. 4. Pack an overnight bag You may have to stay in a hotel or with family or friends for an extended period. Pack extra clothing and shoes, blankets or sleeping bags, extra pairs of glasses or contact lenses, nonperishable food items and bottled water. If you have an infant or elderly family members, pack any special items they might need.

What do you do if you receive a pre-evacuation notice?

Once you’re notified that you need to evacuate your area, there are several things you may need to do in a short amount of time. As always, preparation is key, so if you receive a pre-evacuation notice stating that you might need to leave at a moment’s notice, here are a few things to do in advance to make your exit go smoothly. 1. Prepare your pets Confine your pets to one room so you can evacuate them easily. If you have large pets such as horses, make sure you’ve planned — and practiced — your evacuation routes in advance, and leave your trailer where you can hitch it up quickly. Have your pets’ identification documents on hand, as well as any necessary gear/tack. And, while county fairgrounds and local humane societies might house evacuated animals, have a backup boarding plan. 2. Prepare your vehicle Park in an open space or in your garage with your vehicle pointing toward your escape route. Leave your key in the ignition, with doors and windows closed. Try to keep your gas tank full so that it’s one less thing to worry about. 3. Prepare your home You can help the firefighters. Close all windows, vents, doors and noncombustible window coverings; turn off gas or propane; turn on lights in each room; move furniture away from windows and glass doors; remove outdoor gas grills; put propane tanks in the garage; connect hoses to outside taps; place noncombustible ladder against the house; and remove firewood, shrubs and other stored combustibles near the home. 4. But always remember... If you’re given an actual evacuation (not pre-evacuation) notice, or if conditions on the ground warrant an emergency escape, execute your plan immediately. Tie a white towel or sheet on your front door to signify to emergency workers that your house has been evacuated; load your family, pets, evacuation kit, important documents and overnight bags into your vehicle; and leave the area as quickly and safely as possible. Property can be replaced. Lives can’t.