Wildfire Safety Tips | WeatherBug
Main Menu
Responsive menu icon

Wildfire Safety Tips

January 30, 2021
By WeatherBug Meteorologists
Late summer is prime wildfire season across large parts of the U.S. and everyone should be prepared for the dangers wildfires can bring along with them.

It is important to remember that more than 45 million homes are near or within wildland that is susceptible to fires. With urbanization and spreading drought, especially during the summer months, more than 72,000 US communities are at risk for wildfires.

If you live in an area susceptible to wildfires, make sure you and your family have an evacuation plan and an emergency bag packed and ready to go. This bag should include non-perishable food and water, first-aid kits, medicine, phone chargers and important documents like passports, birth certificates and insurance declarations.

Here are some tips that will help keep you and your home safe during wildfire season:

Before a wildfire threatens your area:
  • Clear flammable debris on and surrounding your home. This includes any dead vegetation in or near your yard.
  • If your yard has trees in it, prune them so the lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet from the ground. This helps prevent fires from spreading to tree tops.
  • If you have a lawn, make sure to keep it hydrated and maintained.
  • Make sure all roof tiles and shingles are securely on your home to prevent stray embers from making it in your home.
  • Make sure exterior attic vents are covered with wire mesh. This also prevents sparks from finding a way into your home.
During the time a wildfire is in your area:
  • Stay up to date on the news from your local fire department and media outlets.
  • Make sure you and your family, pets included, are prepared to evacuate the area.
  • Close all openings in your home and make sure they are protected against embers.
  • Help firefighters out by connecting all your garden hoses to a water supply and filling up any pools or hot tubs you may have on your property. If you do not have a pool or hot tub, you can help out by filling large containers with water.  
  • If you can leave your home before being told to evacuate, do it. Once an official evacuation order has been given, do not linger in the area.
After a wildfire has been contained:
  • Continue to stay updated on the progress of the fire.
  • Only return to your home after officials say it is safe. 
Source: National Fire Protection Association and National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook 

Image: In this Sunday, July 21, 2019, photo, a tanker releases a wave of fire retardant into the crest of a wildfire line in Flagstaff, Ariz. (Ben Shanahan/Arizona Daily Sun via AP)