6 fire safety tips for homeowners living near wooded areas

If you live near a forest or wooded area, you should take extra precautions to protect your home and family from fires. In addition to having functioning smoke detectors and an evacuation plan, here’s what you should do.

1. Always confirm whether there’s a fire ban in your region before lighting a bonfire.

2. Privilege fire-resistant construction materials such as metal, brick and stucco for building structures on your property.

3. Remove all flammable vegetation and materials (including firewood) that are within a 30-foot radius of your home. This will reduce the risk of a fire spreading from the forest to your home and vice versa. Additionally, fences and propane tanks should be kept away from the home and other buildings on the property.

4. As much as possible, privilege tree species that have a low degree of flammability such as birch, maple, poplar and aspen. Additionally, make sure their crowns don’t touch, as this will reduce the risk of flames jumping from one tree to the next.

5. Try to collect as much rainwater as possible. You can install collection drums under your gutters and add small bodies of water to your landscaping.

6. Keep tools that could help fight a fire on hand such as long water hoses. It’s also a good idea to have a ladder that’s long enough to access your roof.

If you follow these safety tips, you may be able to prevent a fire from striking. At the very least, you’ll be better prepared in case one does occur.