The third home ignition zone (or Extended Zone) is 30-100 feet and out to 200 feet from your home.
Dispose of any heavy amounts of debris and litter, remove of
any dead plant and tree material. If you have any small conifers growing in
between your mature trees you should consider removing them. As always remove
any vegetation that may be surrounding any buildings in this area.
It is recommended that trees 30-60 feet from the home should
have at least 12 feet between canopy tops, and trees that are 60-100 feet from
your home should have at least 6 feet between canopy tops. These distances
are suggested based on NFPA 1144. However, the crown spacing needed to reduce
or prevent crown fire potential could be greater due to slope, the species of
trees involved and other site-specific conditions. It is a good idea to check
with your local forestry professional to get advice on what’s appropriate for
your property.
Some additional things to consider is to be prepared inside the home
and within your family for fire. Have a checklist of certain fire safety needs
within your home, you should be able to find these at your local fire
department. Some things to have on your checklist are:
o
Develop an evacuation plan and practice fire drills – make sure your family understands the escape routes, meeting points, and other details
o
Maintain smoke detectors and fire extinguishers
o
Prepare a grab and go emergency kit that will last at least 3 days –
include family and pet’s needs such as cash, water, clothing, food, first aid
and prescriptions
o
Make sure an outside water supply is available – if it’s safe have a
hose and nozzle available outside that will reach all parts of the house.
Check out this link to watch a short video about preparing your home for wildfires!
