Homeowners urged to be FireSmart and protect their property

Simple steps can make a big difference

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed June 23, 2023 9:30 AM

Summary

Homeowners can play an important role in wildfire prevention with some simple steps that reduce the risk of fire spreading to their property.

There are several things that make a home a FireSmart one. The homeowner should consider:

• the construction of the home itself,
• the yard and landscaping,
• the vegetation and fuels, and
• property access.

FireSmart BC offers online videos and manuals with information on things everyone can do to protect their homes, such as:

• remove combustible surface material in the area within 10 metres of the house's perimeter
• make sure trees are spaced at least three metres apart
• prune all branches that are within two metres of the ground
• keep roofs free of combustible materials so embers do not have a place to collect (roofs should be made of fire-resistant materials such as clay, asphalt and metal)
• the chimney should have a spark arrestor to reduce the chance of sparks and embers escaping
• gutters should be free of debris and screened if possible
• eaves and vents should be screened with 3 mm wire mesh; soffits and fascia should be properly fitted as well
• siding like stucco, metal siding, brick and concrete have superior fire resistance
• windows should be tempered, thermal or double-paned
• doors should be fire rated and have a good seal; weather strip garage doors to prevent embers from entering.

For more information, visit firesmartbc.ca.

Link to Strategic Plan: n/a

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