City Of Claremont: Your Personal Wildfire Action Plan - Get Ready, Set, Go!

Press release from the City of Claremont:

08/10/2021

In LA County, wildfires will always be a natural part of the state we have chosen to call home. Wildfires will continue to be fueled by a build-up of dry vegetation and driven by hot, dry “Santa Ana” winds, making them extremely dangerous and challenging for firefighters to control. Fire season is year-round and requires everyone to be on heightened alert, especially for those living in wildland area communities like Claremont.

Following these simple steps from the LA County Fire Department’s Ready, Set, Go! Personal Wildfire Action Plan may save your life, your family, and protect your home from a devastating wild fire:

Step #1 Get READY. Create defensible space around your home. Defensible space is the area around your home that is free of flammable plants and objects. This space is wide enough to prevent the flames and heat from a wildfire to reach your home. Learn how to “harden” your home. Embers from a wildfire will find the weak link in your home’s construction and the quality of the “defensible space” surrounding it. You can safeguard your home by assessing it and taking steps to protect it from the threat of wildfire.

Step #2 Get SET. Prepare your family. Your action plan should be prepared with all members of your household well in advance of a fire. Once you finish your plan, rehearse it regularly with your family and keep it in a safe, accessible place.

Step #3 GO early, and don’t wait until the fire comes to your neighborhood. By leaving early, you will give your family the best chance of survival. You will also help firefighters by keeping the roads clear of congestion, which will help them move more freely and do their job to save your home.

For more information on creating your own plan, tips on defensible space, learning how to “harden” your home, and preparing your family, visit www.fire.lacounty.gov/rsg/

This press release was produced by the City of Claremont. The views expressed here are the author’s own.