As we approach the throes of wildfire season in California, the risks of seeing a wildfire break out in your neighborhood are greater than ever. With particularly harsh wildfire seasons hitting different parts of California in recent years, we all need to do our part to counter the risks of fire season and make sure that our state stays safe. Here are a few basics that everyone should know when it comes to basic fire prevention and safety in California:
Install smoke alarms in your home and make sure that all of your smoke alarms are working.
You would be surprised how often we hear that someone forgot to replace the batteries in their smoke alarm or found that they didn’t have enough alarms in their home. It’s a good rule of thumb to make sure that there’s at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home, but we recommend considering placing additional smoke alarms if you think that one per floor isn’t sufficient or if you have a larger home.
Make sure that you have additional smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in sleeping areas and in your kitchen, and if possible, consider opting for smoke alarms that will connect to your mobile device in case of an emergency and alert you of a fire if you’re not home.
Gather dry brush and debris that sits around the outside of your home and on your property.
Many people overlook collecting dead leaves and brush around their property as they think it’s simply a cosmetic issue, but the reality is that dried out leaves and dead brush is a fire risk anywhere on your property. In the wild, we work to remove dead trees wherever possible to diminish the risk of a wildfire, and we suggest that people do the same around their home. If you have a build up of leaves or branches near a vent to your home as well, that could be an additional fire risk that you’re overlooking.
Keep matches or lighters out of reach of any children in your home
One of the easiest ways to prevent fires from breaking out in your home is to make sure that flammable items like matches or lighters are kept out of reach of children. When children play with these items they often don’t understand the risks that come with them, and those risks can result in a fire breaking out if they were to drop the item or accidentally set fire to something while playing with matches. It’s also a good idea to discuss fire safety with your children to make sure that they understand the risks of playing with an open flame.
