Firewise Around Your Home

#1. Keep a clearing of at least 30 feet around your house for fire fighting equipment.

#2. Space the trees you plant carefully.

#3. Remove “ladder fuels”. They link the grasses and the tree tops.

#4. Create “fuelbreak” – driveways, gravel walkways, or lawns.

#5. Maintain your irrigation system regularly.

#6. Prune tree limbs so the lowest is between 6′ – 10′ from the ground.

#7. Remove leaf clutter from your roof and yard.

#8. Mow regularly.

#9. Remove dead or overhanging branches.

#10. Store firewood away from your house.

#11. Refuel garden equipment carefully.

#12. Maintain garden equipment regularly.

#13. If you smoke, use your ashtray.

#14. Store and use flammable liquids properly.

#15. Dispose of cuttings and debris promptly, according to local regulations.

#16. Observe local regulations regarding vegetative clearances and fire safety equipment requirements.

#17. Check your generator and/or hose to be sure it is in good repair.

#18. Don’t keep combustible materials under decks or elevated porches.

#19. Make trellises of non-flammable metal.

#20. Have at least two ground-level doors as safety exits.

#21. Keep at least two means of escape (either a door/window) in each room.

#22. Mark your driveway and access roads clearly.

#23. Keep ample turnaround space near your house for fire equipment.

#24. Prevent sparks from entering your house by covering vents with wire mesh no larger than 1/8″.

#25. When possible, use construction materials that are fire-resistant or non-combustible.

The Groom Creek Fire District offers our Defensible Space / Hazardous Fuels Reduction services to homeowners in our community in order to help create this all-important defensible space.

Firewise Tips