Wildfire preparedness is an essential part of life across California.
With landscapes that range from coastal chaparral to inland forests, many communities face elevated wildfire risk during warm, dry periods. Taking practical steps now can reduce the chance a home ignites, protect families and pets, and speed recovery if evacuation becomes necessary.
Make your home ember-resistant
Most home ignitions during wildfires start from wind-blown embers.
Focus on home hardening measures that block ember entry:
– Install ember-resistant vents and cover attic and crawlspace openings with 1/8-inch metal mesh.
– Replace or protect wooden siding, eaves, and decks with fire-resistant materials when possible. Use non-combustible decking or keep wooden decking clean and treated.
– Maintain a Class A roof or other ignition-resistant roofing material; routinely clear leaves and debris from roof valleys and gutters.
– Seal gaps around windows, doors, pipes and vents to limit ember intrusion.
Create defensible space and smart landscaping
Defensible space slows fire spread and gives firefighters a safer area to work:
– Keep a maintained fuel-free zone close to the house: remove dead plants, dry grasses and stacked firewood within the first zone.
– Space trees and shrubs to reduce horizontal and vertical fuel continuity; prune lower limbs to separate canopy and ground fuels.
– Choose drought-tolerant, low-resin plants and keep lawns watered and trimmed during dry spells.
– Regularly clear gutters, trim back overhanging branches and remove ladder fuels that allow fire to climb into the canopy.
Plan evacuation and communication
A clear, practiced plan saves time and reduces stress:
– Prepare a household evacuation plan with two exit routes, a meeting place, and multiple communication methods (phone, text, social, radio).
– Assemble an emergency kit with water, nonperishable food, N95 masks, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, extra batteries, first-aid supplies, medications, and copies of ID and important documents.
– Include pets and livestock in plans: have carriers, leashes, vaccination records and a list of boarding or evacuation locations.
– Sign up for local emergency alerts and track utility notifications about planned outages or safety-related shutoffs.
Document and insure
Good documentation speeds recovery and claims:
– Keep digital and physical copies of property inventories, photos, receipts and mortgage/insurance documents stored securely off-site or in the cloud.
– Review homeowner and flood insurance policies; understand coverages, deductibles and the process to file a claim after a loss.
– Consider flood danger after firefighting activity when soils are destabilized; check for available mitigation grants or local cost-sharing programs for defensible space or home hardening.
Community coordination and resources
Neighborhood-level actions multiply individual efforts:
– Join or start a local wildfire preparedness group to coordinate fuel reduction, defensible space inspections and evacuation drills.
– Connect with your local fire department, community emergency response team (CERT) and county emergency management office for workshops and resources.
– Use official guidance from state and federal emergency agencies to learn best practices and available assistance.
Small investments and consistent maintenance can make a major difference in wildfire outcomes. Prioritize ember-resistant measures, defensible space, a practiced evacuation plan and documentation — and work with neighbors to build resilient communities that withstand wildfire threats.