Have at least 2-5 feet of dirt, gravel, or none flammable material next to the foundation of house or building—No grass, wood chips, pine straw, etc. This keeps fires from burning up to the house itself.

Clear away flammable brush at least 30’ from the house (more if the vegetation is heavy and the ground is steep). See the “Hazard Brush Removal Guideline” for more details.

Keep roof and gutters free of leaves, pine needles and other debris. Embers falling on roofs and in gutters start many fires.

Keep leaves, pine needles and other debris off of and from under decks. This applies to crawl spaces, too. Remember- wherever you have leaves and wind-blown debris--embers can also get blown there during wildfires!

If you get this far, don’t stop now—continue making your situation safer by reading the other brochures and tips on this website! There are still many more things that can be done to make your home Firewise.

          25 tips to make your home firewise                               50 Things you can do to protect your home