Jim C. is an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan.
He was one of the few that was able to save his house from the devastating and tragic wildfires in Los Angeles.
And he did it by being prepared.
A few years ago, a brush fire came too close for comfort to Jim’s house.
So, he came up with a plan to protect his property himself.
Jim went out and purchased a lot of yard sprinklers and garden hoses.
These were nothing special, just Items you can find at any hardware store.
During the recent L.A. fires Jim was expecting he would need to evacuate.
So, before he left, he set up the sprinklers and hoses on the roof of his house, and then he evacuated with his family.
“I got trapped by the flames going down Sunset [Boulevard]. It was difficult. It was like Afghanistan-type difficult,” he said.
Jim’s house sits at the bottom of a hill with neighbors both above and below his house.
When Jim tried to return to his house, he could see that the flames had gone down the hill towards his house.
But the sprinklers and hoses had miraculously kept the fire away.
“All my neighbors up across the top, their houses are gone,” Jim said.
Sadly, very few houses were left standing in the neighborhood.
Now, the reality is that no matter where you live a fire could come knocking on your front door.
Whether it’s a wildfire, a close neighbor’s house catching fire, or even arson, there are things you can do to prevent the fire from spreading to your house.
Five-foot perimeter:
Between 60% and 90% of home fire ignitions start within five feet of the house.
This is why it’s vital to create a five-foot space around your house that’s clear of anything highly flammable.
Don’t let patio furniture, wood piles, or anything flammable within five feet of the house.
You should also trim the trees that are near your house and ensure wooden fences don’t touch the house.
In the recent L.A. fires, the homes themselves were far apart, but fences carried the fire from one house to another.
Ladder fuels:
Beyond the five-foot perimeter there is still the risk of what’s called “ladder fuels.”
“Ladder fuels” are debris on the ground that can act as a ladder to lead the fire to bigger fuel sources.
These are things like fallen branches, needles, and leaves that can ignite and lead the fire to a tree.
If you have grass around your home, you might want to consider putting a small area of gravel between your foundation and the grass.
Also, you want to trim low hanging branches that could be ignited by a fire on the ground.
The immediate area around your house should be clean and clear.
Close the garage:
During a fire you want to always keep the garage door closed. This will prevent embers from getting inside.
In addition, it will reduce air flow into the structure that could aid the fire.
But during a major fire the electricity will likely go out.
And when that’s happened, many people have been unable to get cars out of their garages or can’t close the garage door after leaving.
This is why I recommend having a battery backup for your garage (even though you should have the emergency release latch too.)
You need to at least have a garage door that you can manually open and close.
And make sure you know how to unhook your door from the garage door opener so you can lift it up and open it.
The devastation that has occurred in L.A. is tragic, but there are lessons to glean from it to protect your home and property from being destroyed.
Use the tips above to reduce the chances of losing your house to fire.
