Creating defensible space is essential to improve your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. It is important to keep the area around your home clean and to keep your plants green. Older kids in more rural areas have the responsibility remind your parents to clean up the area around your house. It is important to help by raking and cleaning up where you can. This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and it also protects your home from catching fire from radiant heat or direct flames.

When dealing with electricity in your home or in your back yard it is important to remember to take all proper safety precautions. According to the US Fire Administration there are approximately 45,000 home electrical fires each year. Half of all home electrical fires involve lighting equipment or home electrical wiring.

An emergency can happen at any moment and it is important to be ready for as much as we can be. According to www.readyforwildfire.org, the three steps to prepare are ready, set, and go. Make sure your children understand what the plan is in an emergency situation.

According to ready.gov, a wide variety of emergencies may cause an evacuation. In some instances you may have a day or two to prepare, while other situations might call for an immediate evacuation. Planning ahead is vital to ensuring that you can evacuate quickly and safely, no matter what the circumstances.