An Ounce of Prevention
Being smart in the outdoors will help prevent wildfires not only in our important public lands, but also around your home. While we may think of wildfires happening in remote forests or far away, they can happen anywhere, even in cities and towns.
Here are a few tips to help prevent wildfires at home and while enjoying our natural world.
- Always check the weather before burning. Never burn during a “Red Flag Warning,” when restrictions, such as a burn ban, are in place, or when it’s windy.
- Know before you go: When camping, check for any restrictions before you leave. Some lands may restrict open flames or even camp stoves.
- Never abandon a warm fire. Always completely douse the fire and ensure it is cool to the touch. Even if it looks out, hot embers could lurk unseen in half-burned fuels if the ashes are not cold.
- Use spark arrestors on ATVs, UTVs, and off-road bikes. Sparks from exhaust can cause small, dry fuels like leaves and grass to catch fire.
- Make sure 10 feet (3 meters) of ground are clear around any fire you build, whether at home or in the wilds.
- Clear any leaves, limbs, grass clippings, or other light fuels from roofs, gutters, decks, and within 10 feet (3 meters) of your home.
For more tips on how you can prevent wildfires, check out SmokeyBear.com, the NFPA, and the visitor center or offices of your state and national parks and forests.
Is Your Home Firewise?
Firewise is a nation-wide program of the National Fire Protection Association to help communities prevent fire outbreaks and mitigate the risks of wildfires at home.
Alongside the national program, several states also have Firewise programs. Several states within the Compact have Firewise programs or Firewise information. If you don’t find your state on the list below, check out any or all of the ones listed and the national program above for great ideas on how you can make your home and your community Firewise.
- Maryland: Firewise Living in Maryland
- New Jersey: NJDEP | New Jersey Forest Fire Service | Firewise
- Pennsylvania (PDF): Pennsylvania Firewise Community Program
- West Virginia: Firewise WV – WV Division of Forestry
- Virginia: Firewise Virginia Community Hazard Mitigation Grant Program : Virginia Department of Forestry
And remember, it doesn’t matter if you live in “the sticks” or a city high rise, it always pays to be Firewise!
Be Ready!
While most wildfires are preventable, and we can do our best to protect our homes from wildfires, there is always the possibility that a wildfire could threaten our homes. A good emergency preparedness plan will help keep you and your family safe.
Ready.gov, the CDC, EPA, your state and local emergency management agencies, and other agencies and programs can help you be ready for any emergency, including wildfires.
- Ready.gov – Wildfires
https://www.ready.gov/wildfires - CDC – Wildfire and Your Safety
https://www.cdc.gov/wildfires/about/ - EPA – Smoke-Ready Toolbox for Wildfires
https://www.epa.gov/air-research/smoke-ready-toolbox-wildfires - Delaware DEMA PrepareDE.org
https://preparede.org/ - Maryland Dept. of Emergency Management
https://mdem.maryland.gov/ - New Jersey Office of Emergency Management
https://nj.gov/njoem/index.shtml - Ohio Emergency Management Agency
https://ema.ohio.gov/home - Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency – Ready PA
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/ready.html - Virginia Department of Emergency Management
https://www.vaemergency.gov/ - West Virginia Emergency Management Division
https://emd.wv.gov/
To find your local emergency management agency’s office, contact your state emergency manage agency or search your county, state, and “emergency management” in your favorite search engine. E.g. “Dauphin County PA Emergency Management” without the quotation marks.
Also be sure to check for state 5-1-1 programs, share preparedness information with friends, family, and community members, and don’t miss the “Sesame Street Wildfires Activity Book” over at Ready.gov.