In 2016, 67,000 wildfires burned more than 5.5 million acres in the U.S., according to the National Interagency Fire Center. More than 4,000 structures, including homes and businesses, were destroyed by wildfires – above the annual average.
Homes that are most susceptible to wildfires are in the wildland-urban interface – a half-mile-wide zone of transition between unoccupied land and human development.
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety found that embers blown by wind during wildfires cause most home fires. Not surprisingly, homes less than 15 feet apart are more likely to burn in clusters, as fire is often spread by combustible fences and decks connected to houses.
Understanding your risk and preparing ahead of time is the best defense against wildfires. There are a number of steps you can take to help reduce the spread of wildfire to and around your home.
Create and maintain a defensible space
- Minimize or clear shrubs and trees closest to your home.
- Use concrete, rocks or other noncombustible materials for landscaping.
- Remove dead vegetation, keep grass short, and trim tree limbs so they are at least 10 feet from other trees, roofs and decks.
- Clear your roof and gutters regularly to avoid accumulation of flammable materials.
- Keep any combustibles, such as firewood and picnic tables, away from structures.
Make your home fire resistant
- Use noncombustible or fire-resistant materials, such as tile, slate, sheet iron, aluminum, brick or stone for the roof, exterior of your home, and fences and decks.
- Consider installing double-pane, tempered-glass windows; they are less likely to crack in high temperatures.
- Use a chimney guard to keep sparks from landing on the roof. Cover all exterior vent openings with 1/8- to 1/4-inch metal mesh to reduce the possibility of burning embers getting into or under your home.
- Keep propane tanks away from buildings and flammable vegetation.
- Where possible, roads and driveways should be at least 16 feet wide to allow for access by fire trucks and large equipment.
- Ensure that your address is clearly marked and visible from the street.
Create an evacuation plan
- Create a plan for your family that includes escape routes and places to meet, as well as out-of-area phone and email contacts. Practice, review and revise the plan regularly. Don’t forget to include your pets and animals.
- Have a few options lined up for places that can keep your animals in case of an emergency.
- Keep important papers – birth certificates, passports, medical records, insurance information – in a fireproof and waterproof box.
- Assemble an emergency supply kit that includes nonperishable food and water (enough for three days), a multipurpose tool, flashlight, hand-crank or battery-powered radio, batteries, extra cash, cell phone and charger, first-aid supplies, critical medications and basic personal hygiene products. Consider keeping another kit in the trunk of your car.
For information about homeowners, renters or other personal lines of insurance, call your AAA insurance agent or insurance customer service, or visit your local branch.
