Did you know that a flaming ember from a fire could travel several miles by wind? These little embers can be more of a disaster than a big wall of fire. They could land in any pile of dry leaves in your gutters, the grill on your porch, or even the pine needles on your roof. This wildfire could be started by one little match or by a natural cause such as a lightning storm. Some states are more likely to have more lightning storms than other states because of them having more rivers and creeks.
In Tennessee, as of 2007, our state has had to respond to more than 3,269 wildfires, which is more than this state has had in past years. With our weather being hotter each year and looking like it will keep going this way, we need to do more safe practices to protect our homes and ourselves.
If you plan on building a new home or remodeling your existing home in a wooded area, do some checking first. Find out if the community that you are planning to move into has what is now being called a fire wise movement in place. If not, then put it on yourself to do whatever needs to be done to keep your new home safe. For example, when building your new home, use fire-resistant construction materials. Also keep your gutters clean of all clutter. Use the proper landscaping. Keep dried leaves picked up and removed. Keep your trees trimmed and the dead limbs removed. If you plant any trees, you would be safe to plant them no closer than 30 feet from your new home. If there are already enough trees around, then just clear them and brush away any leaves up to 30 feet.
It would be wise to install double-pane or tempered glass in all windows. Put wire mesh in your chimney and screen underneath your decks and porches. If you have a fireplace installed in your new home, you would need to keep chopped wood around so it would be a good idea not to have it too close to your home. Keep your driveway easily accessible for emergency vehicles, keeping it at least 12 to 15 feet wide with a 15 or more vertical clearance.
Remember, a wildfire can start for any reason or way. It can also start completely by accident. If you have most of these things installed in your new home, you might have a better chance of it surveying this wildfire. Keeping tree limbs away from your roof and having a metal roof instead of a wooded one is another step. These extra precautions will also help with your homeowners insurance. Last, but not least, install smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
