santa barbara fire

Southern California's brush is dry and fire is raging in Santa Barbara this afternoon, making this the perfect time to review fire safety.

Ideally, you would have planned for the possibility of wildfire, including picking an evacuation route (and a backup route), making an inventory of your property (keep a second copy in a remote spot such as a bank safe deposit box), making a list of what you would take and gathering your important documents, which you then put in a safe place that you can get to easily.

If evacuation looks likely, here's what fire safety experts say you should grab:

Medicines, prescriptions and first aid kit Bottled water Clothing and bedding Flashlights, battery-powered radio and extra batteries Special items for infants or elderly or disabled family members Computer hard drive or laptop Photographs Pet food and other pet items such as leashes and water bowls Important papers, including insurance policies; a list of prescriptions; birth and marriage certificates; passports; drivers license or other personal identification; Social Security cards; recent tax returns; employment information; wills and deeds; stocks, bonds and other negotiable certificates; bank, savings and retirement account numbers; home inventory.

For those outside of today's fire area, now is the time to get ready.

The National Fire Protection Assn. advises:
-- If you're moving to a new home in a rural area or buying land to build a new home, do a thorough outdoor fire safety check before you proceed. Locate the home on thelot with adequate setback from downhill slopes. Wildfires travel uphill rapidly -- make sure that your home won't be in its path. -- Make sure that the area has adequate public fire protection available. Will emergency vehicles have easy access to the house? Is your address clearly visible from the road? Will firefighters have access to a water supply to put out a fire? -- Make your roof fire safe. Untreated wood shake roofs are the leading cause of wildfire losses.

A roof made of fire-resistant or non-combustible materials can make your home safer. Also, use non-combustible (metal) screening in eave vents and for windows. -- Sweep gutters, roofs and eaves regularly, and remove dead branches from around or near chimneys. Burning firebrands or embers can collect in the same space that leaves and pine needles do. Remove leaves and needles from cellar window walls and from corners and crevices around the outside of your home.

-- Create a survivable space, safety zone or "fire break" around your home. Flammable (highly resinous) plants, woodpiles and debris should be kept as far away from the exterior walls of the home as possible. Fences, decks or outbuildings connected to the house must be considered part of the house; construct them out of non-combustible materials and keep them clear of pine needles, dead leaves, etc.
At the Firewise Communities website, you'll find several checklists and printable brochures to help make sure your home and yard are as fire safe as you can make them. Among the tips:
-- If you wish to attach an all-wood fence to your home, use masonry or metal as a protective barrier between the fence and house.-- Use non-flammable metal when constructing a trellis and cover with high-moisture, fire-resistant vegetation.-- Prevent combustible materials and debris from accumulating beneath patio deck or elevated porches; screen underneath or box in areas below the deck or porch with wire mesh no larger than 1/8 of an inch.