Wildfires is a general term that may refer to brush fires, forest fires, or any
other fires that can be caused by natural events or human activities.
Create a Defensible Space
- Remove dead vegetation. Provide fuel-breaks around all structures.
- Reduce fuel sources by trimming dead or overhanging branches and clearing debris from the roof and gutters.
- Replace highly flammable vegetation with fire-resistant varieties.
Reduce Risk
- Keep all flammable materials away from your home.
- Notify fire officials before legally burning debris.
- Burn debris in a cleared area.
- Never leave a fire unattended.
- Fully extinguish campfires.
- Install spark arresters on small engines and equipment.
Protect Life and Property
- Plan emergency evacuation routes.
- If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
- Wear protective clothing-sturdy shoes, cotton or woolen clothing, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves, and a handkerchief to protect your face.
- Choose a route away from fire hazards. Watch for changes in the speed and direction of fire and smoke.
- If you have time, take steps to protect
your home.
- Shut off gas at the meter. Turn off pilot lights and propane tanks.
- Open fireplace damper and close fireplace screens.
- Move flammable furniture into the center of the home.
- Seal attic and ground vents with precut plywood or commercial seals.
- Wet the roof and shrubs around the house.
What to do During a Wildfire
- Survival in a Vehicle
- This is dangerous and should only be done in an emergency.
- Stay in your vehicle.
- Roll up windows and close air vents
- Drive slowly with headlights on.
- Do not drive through heavy smoke.
- If you have to stop, park away from the heaviest trees and brush.
Much of the Southwest is considered a
high-hazard fire environment. Hot, dry,
and windy conditions can greatly
increase the likelihood of a wildland fire.
High winds can quickly turn a small
brush fire into a large wildland fire.
- If Caught in the Open
- The best temporary shelter is in a sparse fuel area. On a steep mountainside, the back side is safer.
- Avoid natural features canyons, natural "chimneys" and saddles.
- If a road is nearby, lie face down along the road cut or in the ditch on the uphill side. Cover yourself with anything that will shield you from the fire's heat.
- If hiking in the back country, seek a depression with sparse fuel. Clear fuel away from the area while the fire is approaching and then lie face down in the depression and cover yourself. Stay down until after the fire passes!