The beginning of fall is a great time to get prepared for wildfire season. Carlsbad is known for abundant natural open space, and when nature is your neighbor, it's essential to take precautions against wildfire. Here are some tips that you can do now to help protect your home.

Create defensible space
Creating defensible space around your home will help protect your property and provide a safety zone for firefighters to work if a fire threatens your home. Defensible space is the area around a structure where flammable foliage and materials that can spread fire have been cleared, reduced or replaced. This space acts as a barrier between a structure and an advancing fire and its embers. Watch this video or read our step by step instructions for creating defensible space around your home.

Be ember aware
Flying embers can travel miles in high winds during a wildfire. Here are some tips to protect the most susceptible areas of your home from ignition by embers.

• Roof and gutters: Keep your gutters and rooftops free of debris. Clean regularly.
• Tree branches: Remove branches within 10 feet of your roof's edge and chimney openings.
• Dead, dying, or dry vegetation: Keep plants at least five feet away from your home. Use noncombustible groundcover, like gravel, in this area.
• Combustible items: Relocate anything that can burn at least five feet away from your home. This includes trash cans.
• Grass and ground cover: Keep grasses and ground cover under four inches in height.
• Patio furniture: If wildfire is threatening, put combustible patio furniture inside or move it at least 30 feet away from the house.
• Venting and spark arrestors: Install spark arrestors on chimneys. Cover all vents with 1/8-inch, corrosion-resistant wire mesh or install vents designed to resist ember entry.
• Windows: Install dual-pane windows with one pane of tempered glass to reduce the chance of breakage in a fire.
• Fencing: Keep the base of fences free of debris. Choose fencing made with non-combustible material to prevent fire from extending to your home.
• Garage door: Close garage doors if a wildfire is threatening.

Monitor weather conditions

Besides trimming and clearing dry brush around your home, it is important to monitor the weather reports for red flag warnings and dry, windy conditions. During these weather conditions, DO NOT do outdoor electrical work or engage in any activity that could cause a spark including:

• Using power lawn mowers, edging equipment, chain saws and leaf blowers
• Setting a piece of hot gardening equipment in the brush
• Using outdoor grinding or cutting tools/saws
• Pulling a car over on an unpaved shoulder (unless an emergency) or parking a car near where dry landscaping could ignite
• Using chains or trailer hitches that could touch the road and cause a spark

More information
Protect Your Home from Wildfire webpage
Be Ember Aware flier

Contact
City of Carlsbad Fire Department
442-339-2665
firepreventionpublic@carlsbadca.gov