Wildfire preparation checklist

Prepare your home

• Make sure your address number on your mailbox or house are at least four inches tall against a contrasting background and is visible for at least 150 feet in all directions. This is so your home can be easily located by emergency officials.
• Remove vegetation around your home and chimney. Prune tree branches to 10 feet above the ground, and regularly mow your lawn and remove debris.
• Install smoke alarms in every room.
• Install a fully-charged fire extinguisher on each floor of the house.
• Keep a garden hose that's long enough to reach all areas of the house, and be ready to fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
• Have a ladder nearby that's tall enough to reach your roof so you can check for hot spots and wet it to prevent flying embers from igniting.
• Store anything combustible or flammable, like gasoline or liquid propane gas, in approved safety containers well away from the house.
• Regularly remove leaves and other debris from gutters.
• Move potentially combustible items such as lawn furniture, umbrellas, tarp coverings, and flags away from the house.
• Clear any combustible materials such as mulch, vegetation, construction materials and move any sheds from within five feet of the house.
• Stack firewood at least 30 feet away from any structure.
• Ensure that the dampers in your chimney and stovepipes are working and cleaned annually. Consider equipping your chimney and stovepipes with a spark arrester approved by the National Fire Protection Association.
• Install quarter-inch mesh screens on vents; louvers; entrances to attics and crawl spaces; and beneath decks, porches and the house itself (if it is not on a solid foundation).
• Make copies of all important documents (passport, driver's license, birth certificate, financial documentation, auto registration, property deeds, will, etc.) and keep copies with your out-of-area contact.
• Create an organized photo catalog of your belongings on your smartphone.

What to do after a fire

• Wear a NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) certified respirator and wet any debris down to minimize exposure to dust particles.
• Don't use any water that may have been contaminated to wash dishes, brush teeth, prepare food, or to make ice or baby formula.
• Check the roof and attic immediately for any hot spots, sparks or embers.
• Continue rechecking the house and yard for burning embers for at least 12 hours.
• Document any damage to your property for insurance claims purposes.