You Are At Risk!

California is home to millions of residents who enjoy the state's beautiful scenery and warm climate. But most people do not realize that these qualities also create the MOST SEVERE WILDFIRE CONDITIONS IN THE WORLD!

Each year, thousands of acres of California wildland and hundreds of homes are destroyed during a fire season that lasts from May to October - and in some areas all year long.

If you live in the foothills, grasslands, or mountains of California, YOU ARE AT RISK!

Making the fire hazard even worse is the growing population in new communities that were once wildland areas surrounding California's major cities. This rapid growth places even greater strain on the state's firefighting forces, who can't place a fire engine at every home.

Fire protection is everyone's responsibility.

To protect your family and your possessions, you must follow certain steps -- both inside and outside your home -- to make your property "Fire Safe."

The most important fire safety steps are outlined in this brochure. By following them, you will give your home a chance to survive a wildfire.

Inside Your Home

  • Smoke detectors have saved many lives by alerting residents to fires inside the home. Smoke detectors should be positioned on the wall or ceiling just outside each bedroom. If you have a multi-level home, install a detector on every floor. Sleep with your bedroom door closed, but make sure you can clearly hear the detector in the hall. If there is any doubt, or if you smoke, place an additional detector inside your bedroom. Be sure to test your smoke detectors monthly and replace batteries twice a year, perhaps when clocks are changed in the spring and fall.

  • Portable fire extinguishers save lives and property by putting out or containing small fires until the fire department arrives. It is most important to place fire extinguishers in your kitchen and garage.

    Make sure that each member of your family can hold and operate your fire extinguishers and knows where they are located inside the home. Remember that fire extinguishers need to be maintained and must be recharged after every use.

  • Consider installing a home sprinkler system. Home sprinkler systems are one of the most reliable and effective ways to protect your home because they provide an immediate response to extinguish a fire. They also can extinguish a fire when you are asleep or when you are away from home.

    Outside Your Home

  • Your roof is the most vulnerable part of your house because it can easily catch fire from wind-blown sparks. It is highly recommended that you build or re-roof with fire resistive roofing materials. Also be sure to clear pine needles, leaves or other debris from your roof and gutters. And remove any dead branches overhanging your roof.
  • Remove any tree branches within 10 feet of your chimney. Cover your chimney outlet and stovepipe with a nonflammable screen of 1/2 inch or smaller mesh.
  • Build or remodel with fire resistive building materials, such as brick or stucco.
  • Enclose the undersides of balconies and above-ground decks with fire resistive materials.
  • Limit the size and number of windows in your home that face large areas of vegetation. Even from a distance of 30 feet away, the heat from a wildfire is enough to ignite the furnishings inside your house. Install only dual-paned or triple-paned windows to reduce the potential of breakage in a fire.

    Your Yard

  • Create a "defensible space" by removing all dry grass, brush, and dead leaves at least 30 feet from your home. Replace native plants with ornamental landscaping plants that are fire resistive.
  • Space trees and shrubs at least 10 feet apart. Reduce the number of trees in heavily wooded areas.
  • For trees smaller than 18 feet, prune lower branches within six feet of the ground to keep ground fires from spreading into tree tops.
  • Stack firewood and scrap woodpiles at least 30 feet from any structure and clear away flammable vegetation that is within 10 feet of these woodpiles.
  • Locate LPG tanks (butane and propane) at least 30 feet from any structure and surround them with 10 feet of clearance.
  • Defensible space must be regularly maintained to be effective.

    Your Emergency Water Supply

  • Maintain an emergency water supply, that meets fire department standards, through one of the following:
    • a community water/hydrant system;
    • a cooperative emergency storage tank with neighbors;
    • a minimum storage supply of 2,500 gallons on your property.
  • Clearly mark all emergency water sources and maintain easy firefighter access to these water sources.
  • If your water comes from a well, consider an emergency generator to operate the pump during a power failure.

    Access to Your House

  • You should know at least two exit routes from your neighborhood in case of emergency evacuation.
  • Make sure that any road leading up to your house allows two-way traffic, is not too steep and does not have curves too sharp to accommodate large emergency vehicles.
  • Driveways and bridges must be strong enough to carry heavy emergency vehicles, including bulldozers carried on large trucks.
  • Make sure dead-end roads and long driveways have turnaround areas that are wide enough for emergency vehicles.
  • Your house address and street name should be printed in numbers and letters that are at least four inches tall, on contrasting color background. They should be visible from all directions of travel for at least 150 feet.
  • Be sure that your street name and house number are not duplicated elsewhere in the county.
  • If your house is set back from your street or road, post your address at the entrance of your driveway.

    Emergency Preparedness

  • Store at least a three-day supply of drinking water and food that does not require refrigeration and generally does not need cooking. * Store first aid supplies, portable radio, flashlight, emergency cooking equipment, portable lanterns and batteries.
  • Prepare a list of valuables to take with you in case of evacuation; if possible, store these valuables together to save time later.
  • Pre-plan an escape route from your home and neighborhood. Designate an emergency meeting place for the reunion of family members escaping in separate vehicles, and establish a contact point to communicate with concerned relatives.
  • Practice emergency exit drills regularly.
  • Make sure that all family members are ready to protect themselves with STOP, DROP AND ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.

    Find out more about Fire Safe!

    The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), a department of the Resources Agency of California, provides leadership and services to protect and encourage sound land management of the forest, brush and grass-covered lands in California.

    CDF has prepared a series of fire safety informational materials for homeowners, entitled "Fire Safe --- Inside and Out." To obtain a copy of the 12-page booklet, brochure, checklist or 25-minute video, contact one of the CDF offices listed below, or contact your nearest CDF fire station or administrative office.

    CDF Headquarters
    1416 Ninth Street
    P.O. Box 944246
    Sacramento, CA 94244
    916/653-9952
    		 CDF Coast-Cascade Region
    135 Ridgway Avenue
    P.O. Box 670
    Santa Rosa, CA 95402
    707/576-2275
    CDF Sierra-South Region
    1234 East Shaw Avenue
    Fresno, CA 93710
    209/222-3714

    State of California
    Gray Davis, Governor

    The Resources Agency
    Mary Nichols, Secretary for Resources

    California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
    Andrea Tuttle, Director

    • © 1997 FSC