Assess the Fire Risk of Your Home

Unfortunately, in Cambria there are many houses that are fire-prone because of the materials they are made of or the location of the house.  The residents of those houses should plan to evacuate as soon as fire appears to be threatening.

Residents of fire safe houses may be safer in their house than trying to drive elsewhere. If you live in a densely forested area you should be concerned about having enough defensible space around you so that a fast-moving wall of flame would not make it to your house. If not, your house might be fire-prone.

If you live in a flat, un-forested area, you should be prepared for a rain of burning embers from a forest fire coming from miles away. You can make your house fire safe by making sure that nothing adjacent to your home could be ignited and the fire spread to your residence.

Here is a simple test to take in both forested and un-forested areas: Walk around the outside of your house and think about what would happen if a burning highway safety flare was dropped anywhere in your area. Would it catch grass on fire that would spread to a bush, which then would spread to a tree, which would ignite the tree and then spread under the eves of your house? If it fell into that woodpile your neighbor has stacked against his house next to your house, would the fire spread from that house to yours? Many can change their fire-prone houses to fire safe by eliminating a fire path to their house.

Read "Will Your Home Survive?" A Winner or Loser (Available at Library or on-line*). Deciding if your residence fits that book's definition of a Loser (fire-prone) and changing it into a Winner (fire safe) before a fire, might save your life.

After you have decided if your house is a fire safe or fire-prone, develop your fire plan and have all members of the household agree upon it. Some households may decide they are safer staying at home or sheltering-in-place. Others may decide they should evacuate as soon as they know a fire might come their way. Emergency services will probably not have the time to go door-to-door, telling people to evacuate.  You will have to make this decision. It is best to make it before a fire is threatening you and your home.