Where the Forest Meets Your Home
Damage to property is greatest when a wildfire moves from the forest into inhabited areas. This “Wildland Urban Interface” is the new battleground where preventative steps can be taken now that will greatly enhance your home’s ability to survive a wildfire. According to Jack Cohen, Research Physical Scientist, U.S. Forest Service, “You don’t have to live in a concrete block home with stainless steel doors and a metal deck all the way around it. You just have to remember – it’s the little things that count.”

Keep the Fire on the Ground and out of the Tree Canopy
Post-fire assessments of homes damaged by wildfires uncovered two key points. First, wildfires increase exponentially in size and intensity when the fire can spread from the ground up into the tree canopy. It takes less than sixty seconds for the fire front to move through a given point. By keeping the fire close to the ground, a home can more easily survive without igniting as the fire passes through. Second, and perhaps most surprising, was the fact that 75% of the homes burned in wildfires was due to ember accumulation, rather than direct contact with the wildfire. Embers blown by the wind can travel more than a mile from the actual fire. During a large wildfire, one home per second may ignite due to embers. Given that it takes an average of 20 firefighters to contain a single house fire, one can easily see that more fire fighters, and more fire trucks is not a realistic answer to containing wildfires.

The Home Ignition Zone
Proper landscaping and maintenance in the area surrounding your home can serve as a fire break by reducing flammable vegetation and materials, and limiting the ability of a wildfire to move from the grass up into the tree canopy. According to the Texas Forest Service, the “home ignition zone” is the area that extends up to 200 feet out from your home in all directions and can be divided into three sub-zones.

Zone 1
Zone 1 extends 30 feet out from your home and should be well-irrigated, and free from fuels such as dead vegetation, leaves, clutter, debris, and firewood stacks. Keep your lawn mowed, and use low-growing plants that are carefully spaced, have high moisture content and low resin content. Emphasize the use of flowers within this space and limit dense placement of cedars, rosemary, arborvitae, and pines. Trim trees in this area up to at least 6 to 10 feet above the ground and 3 feet back from over your house. Use non-flammable mulch within 5 feet of your house, such as gravel or river rock, and be sure to limit “ladder fuel” plants that will allow a wildfire to go from the ground up into the trees.

Zone 3
Zone 3 is the area between 100 and 200 feet out from your home. This area should also be free of woody debris and have the trees thinned so that the canopies are not touching.

The Main Purpose
The overall goal of Firewise Landscaping is to keep the wildfire close to the ground, so that it can quickly move through your property, and limit areas where embers can gather and start spot fires.

Ready, Set, Go
As a homeowner or landowner, we often take comfort in the fact the Fire Department is nearby and that we regularly make our homeowners insurance payments. But ultimately, we must do everything in our power to be prepared for a wildfire. Just remember the phrase “Ready, Set, Go.” Be ready for a wildfire by practicing Firewise Landscaping. Have a set plan in place for when a wildfire approaches. And, when it comes right down to it, go. If you need to evacuate, you can at least take comfort in the fact that you did everything in your power to limit the intensity of, and damage caused by a wildfire to your home and property. The lives of your family are far more important than trying to make a heroic last stand. Be sure that our last quote of the day never applies to you, “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.”

The post Firewise Landscaping first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

According to new research from CSA International, a global testing and certification organization, 60 percent of pet owners are concerned about their pet’s safety when leaving them alone in a house. Three in 10 Americans have either experienced or know someone who has experienced a holiday decorations-related accident with a pet that required a trip to the vet’s office.

While the types of accidents varied, it’s important to remember these CSA International holiday safety tips to help keep your pets and family safe.

* Cords are not chew toys: But, sometimes you can’t prevent your pet from sneaking a sniff. Carefully inspect holiday light strings yearly and discard any with frayed cords, cracked lamp holders or loose connections. Ensuring that all holiday decorations are in proper working order and all cords are fully insulated are important steps to avoiding electrical and fire hazards and keeping pets safe when you’re away.

* Up, up and away: When decorating a tree or other indoor areas, place breakable ornaments and electrical decorations up high to protect both small children and pets. It’s also important to keep potentially deadly ingestible items out of pets’ reach, such as chocolate, poinsettias, tinsel and colorful ornaments that may look like a ball or toy.

* Spot the mark to keep Spot safe: When purchasing light strings, extension cords or electrical decorations, look for a certification mark such as one from CSA International. This provides assurance that products are tested and certified to applicable standards for safety and performance.

* Fresh or fake, be safe: If you buy a real Christmas tree, make sure it’s fresh. Fresh trees are less likely to dry out and become a fire hazard. Artificial trees with electrical lights should have a certification mark on them and should be made of fire-resistant materials. Pet owners should tether their Christmas tree to a wall to avoid tipping.

* No sparks for Sparky: Whenever possible, protect family and pets from electric shock by connecting all outdoor lighting into receptacles protected by weatherproof ground fault circuit interrupters.

* Holiday time is battery time: Make the holidays your time to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and other safety devices and replace batteries if needed.

* Cat and canine candle concerns: Don’t leave lighted candles unattended. Pets may burn themselves or cause a fire if they knock candles over. Be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on a stable surface, and keep away from combustibles. And if you leave the room, blow the candle out.

* Safe storage: After the holidays, wrap and store lights and decorations in their original packaging, as they likely contain manufacturer’s instructions on replacement bulbs and details for proper product use. Keep pets away from packages as well as your gift wrapping area. Swallowed string, ribbon, plastic, and even wrapping paper can lead to intestinal blockage and require a trip to the vet.

More tips for a safe holiday season that’s fun for you and your pets can be found at www.csaholiday.com.

The post Holiday Hazards to Avoid to Help Keep Pets Safe first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

“Planning makes a big difference in coping with disaster,” says Charles Valinotti, senior vice president of insurer QBE. “The better prepared you are, the better you can cope in the aftermath of an emergency.”

Fire and medical are the two most common emergencies, Valinotti says, so it’s important to teach children to call 9-1-1 or if you don’t live in a 9-1-1 service area, to post emergency numbers by your home phone. Cellphones should contain up-to-date contact numbers so emergency personnel can get hold of family members if you’re unable to.

Here are other tips to help prepare you to deal with disaster:

* Put together an emergency plan. Meet with your family to discuss the various emergencies that could happen and what should be done in each case. Valinotti suggests developing an emergency communication plan if family members are separated during floods, storms or other disasters. If you have to evacuate your home, plan several escape routes in case roads are blocked or closed. Practice your plan and update it each year.

* Hold your own annual inspection. Each year, take a close look at your home to identify potential hazards that could cause injury or damage in a disaster or weather-related emergency. “Anything that can fall, break, move or cause a fire is a hazard,” Valinotti says. He recommends securing your water heater and tall or heavy furniture, moving heavy items to lower shelves, and installing locks on cabinet doors.

* Be prepared year-round. Valinotti recommends keeping a disaster supplies kit – containing at least a one-week supply of food and bottled water – in your home at all times, replacing it every six months. This kit should stay in a designated place for easy access in case you need to be confined to your home for an extended period. Make sure all family members know where the kit is kept. Battery-operated radios, candles and flashlights should also be on hand if there’s a power outage. He recommends keeping an emergency supply kit in vehicles, as well, stocked with food, water, first aid supplies, flares and jumper cables. In addition, he says, “It’s a good idea to keep vehicles well maintained and full of gas in case a quick evacuation is needed.”  

* Regularly review your insurance. Review your insurance policies and make sure you’re covered for replacement value – not just market value – if your house is destroyed. It’s worth checking out flood insurance, even if your home is located in an area that’s low risk for flooding. Find out more at www.floodsmart.gov. And if disaster strikes, know how to get in touch with your insurance agent. “Many agents are using social media like Twitter and Facebook to connect with their customers,” Valinotti says. “Text messaging is a great tool in a crisis, so it’s important that your agent has your cellphone number.”

Make sure you’re prepared for the unexpected. Planning and practice can go a long way in protecting you and your family in a disaster.

The post Dealing with Disaster: Are you Ready? first appeared on The How Do Gardener.