Wildfire safety: How to protect your home

Wildfires move fast, strike with little warning and can level everything in their path — and our expert says the time to get ready is long before smoke is on the horizon.

Here are the most simplified tips for how you can keep yourself, your loved ones and your home safe, straight from digital meteorologist Caitlin Kaiser.

Step 1: Know your risk

The first step is knowing whether you live in a wildfire-prone area. The website wildfirerisk.org is a great tool for searching local factors that can be in play.

Some areas are more prone to fires than others, but even if you live in a lower-threat area, it could still be critical that you understand wildfire safety.

(MORE: Wildfires burning twice as many trees as they did 20 years ago)

Weather plays a big factor. A wet spring followed by a drought can dry out vegetation rapidly, turning it into "prime fuel for wildfires," Kaiser says. Lightning is the number one cause of natural wildfires.

“The conditions we watch for for wildfire spread are higher temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds,” Kaiser said.

Step 2: Watch for warnings

One easy way to stay informed is to follow the National Weather Service forecast for fire danger. Here are two notices to be aware of:

• A fire weather watch is issued when upcoming weather could promote extreme burning conditions — a signal to be prepared. 
• A red flag warning is more serious, issued when critical fire weather is ongoing or imminent, meaning residents should take action and use extreme caution with any open flames.

(MORE: Fire weather & active wildfires)

Step 3: Protect your home

There are several key tactics homeowners can take to protect a house from wildfire.

Here are a few:

•   Keep lawnmowers, gas cans and wood piles at least 30 feet from the house.
•   Keep lawns watered and mowed, since healthy grass is less likely to catch fire.
•   Clear patios, gutters and roofs of pine needles, leaves and other flammable items.
•   Clear brush away from the home, along with any overhanging tree branches.

(MORE: How to keep your home from spreading wildfires)

Step 4: Plan your escape

If worst comes to worst, be ready to do what you need to survive, especially if that means evacuating. 

Map at least two evacuation routes that every family member knows — and practice them. 

Planning should also account for relatives with asthma or disabilities, as well as pets and livestock. 

 A ready-to-go emergency kit is also essential. Here’s what you can include in yours:

• An N95 mask to prevent smoke inhalation
• Food and water
• Important documents
• A way to charge a cell phone
• A battery-powered radio

(MORE: Wildfire safety and preparedness)

“Wildfires can be fast-moving, hard to predict, and extremely destructive,” Kaiser said. “Which is why you need to have a plan in place ahead of time.”

Content writer Ada Wood enjoys exploring the stories that science and climate teach us about our natural world and how it influences the way we live in it.