Wildfire season reshapes life across California every year. Whether you live on the wildland-urban interface or in an urban neighborhood that can be affected by drifting embers, taking practical steps now makes a major difference for safety and recovery.
This guide breaks down the most effective, achievable actions to protect your home, family, and property.
Start with defensible space and landscaping
– Create and maintain defensible space around your home to slow or stop advancing flames and embers.
Trim trees and shrubs, remove dead vegetation, and keep plants well watered and spaced. Focus attention on the area closest to structures and gradually expand outward.
– Use fire-resistant plants and hardscaping near the house. Replace mulch with gravel or other noncombustible ground cover within the immediate perimeter of your home.
– Keep lawns mowed, prune tree limbs that overhang roofs, and remove branches within several feet of chimneys.
Store woodpiles, propane tanks, and other combustibles well away from the house.
Harden your home against embers and radiant heat
– Ember intrusions are a leading cause of home ignitions. Install ember-resistant vents or vent covers, and use metal mesh where appropriate to prevent embers from entering attics, crawl spaces, and eaves.
– Replace or reinforce roofs with fire-resistant materials when possible. Clean gutters frequently and use gutter guards to prevent accumulation of flammable debris.
– Protect openings by installing dual-pane or tempered glass windows and using fire-resistant interior and exterior materials. Consider an ember-resistant garage door and ensure vents and doors fit tightly.
Practical maintenance checklist
– Clear roofs and gutters of leaves and needles on a regular schedule.
– Move combustible outdoor furniture, grills, and potted plants away from the walls during high-risk periods.
– Keep a ladder, hose, and basic firefighting tools accessible; know how to shut off utilities if instructed by authorities.
Create and practice an evacuation plan
– Designate multiple evacuation routes and agree on a family meeting spot both near your home and outside the immediate area. Practice the plan so everyone knows where to go and what to take.
– Assemble a go-bag for each household member with essentials: important documents, medications, basic clothing, chargers, water, and pet supplies. Store digital copies of critical records offsite or in secure cloud storage.
– Sign up for local emergency alert systems and know how your community issues evacuations and warnings. Keep a battery-powered radio or an app that receives emergency notifications.
Insurance, community action, and financial preparedness
– Review your homeowner or renter insurance coverage and understand what is and isn’t covered for wildfire and smoke damage.
Keep an up-to-date inventory of valuables and receipts.
– Engage with neighborhood or community programs focused on wildfire resilience.
Group efforts, like coordinated fuel breaks and community education, increase protection for everyone.
– Investigate available incentives or rebates for home hardening measures and clean-up work; utilities and local authorities often offer programs to support mitigation and resilience.
Mind the smoke and health impacts
– Smoke can travel far beyond burned areas. Have N95 or equivalent respirators on hand, and create an indoor air plan: close windows, run HEPA-filter air purifiers if available, and limit outdoor activities when air quality deteriorates.
– Keep medications and health needs accounted for in evacuation planning, and check on vulnerable neighbors and family members early.
Taking action now reduces risk and stress later. Start with small, manageable improvements—cleaning gutters, trimming vegetation, making a go-bag—and build toward larger investments like roof upgrades or solar-plus-battery systems that can help during power disruptions. Reach out to your local fire agency or community resilience group for tailored advice and resources.