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Consider installing residential sprinklers
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Build your home away from ridge tops, canyons and areas between
high points on a ridge
__
Build your home at least 30-100 feet from your property line
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Use fire resistant materials
__
Enclose the underside of eaves, balconies and above ground
decks with fire resistant materials
__
Try to limit the size and number of windows in your home that
face large areas of vegetation
__
Install only dual-paned or triple-paned windows
__
Make sure that electric service lines, fuse boxes and circuit
breaker panels are installed and maintained as prescribed by code
__
Contact qualified individuals to perform electrical maintenance
and repairs
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Identify at least two exit routes from your neighborhood
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Construct roads that allow two-way traffic
__
Design road width, grade and curves to allow access for large
emergency vehicles
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Construct driveways to allow large emergency equipment to reach
your house
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Design bridges to carry heavy emergency vehicles, including
bulldozers carried on large trucks
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Post clear road signs to show traffic restrictions such as
dead-end roads, and weight and height limitations
__
Make sure dead-end roads, and long driveways have turn-around
areas wide enough for emergency vehicles
__
Construct turnouts along one-way roads
__
Clear flammable vegetation at least 10 feet from roads and five
feet from driveways
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Cut back overhanging tree branches above roads
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Construct fire barriers such as greenbelts
__
Make sure that your street is named or numbered, and a sign is
visibly posted at each street intersection
__
Make sure that your street name and house number are not
duplicated elsewhere in the county
__
Post your house address at the beginning of your driveway, or
on your house if it is easily visible from the road
__
Remove branches within 10 feet of your chimney and dead
branches overhanging your roof
__
Remove dead leaves and needles from your roof and gutters
__
Install a fire resistant roof. Contact your
local fire department for current roofing requirements
__
Cover your chimney outlet and stovepipe with a nonflammable
screen of 1/2 inch or smaller mesh
__
Create a "defensible space" by removing all flammable
vegetation at least 30 feet from all structures
__
Never prune near power lines. Call your
local utility company first
__
Landscape with fire resistant plants
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On slopes or in high fire hazard areas remove flammable
vegetation out to 100 feet or more
__
Space native trees and shrubs at least 10 feet apart
__
For trees taller than 18 feet, remove lower branches within six
feet of the ground
__
Maintain all plants by regularly watering, and by removing dead
branches, leaves and needles
__
Before planting trees close to any power line contact your
local utility company to confirm the maximum tree height allowable for
that location
__
Stack woodpiles at least 30 feet from all structures and remove
vegetation within 10 feet of woodpiles
__
Locate LPG tanks (butane and propane) at least 30 feet from any
structure and maintain 10 feet of clearance
__
Remove all stacks of construction materials, pine needles,
leaves and other debris from your yard
__
Contact your local fire department to see if open burning is
allowed in your area; if so, obtain a burning permit
__
Where burn barrels are allowed, clear flammable materials at
least 10 feet around the barrel; cover the open top with a
non-flammable screen with mesh no larger than 1/4
inch
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Maintain an emergency water supply that meets fire department
standards through one of the following:
•
a community water/hydrant system
• a cooperative emergency storage tank with
neighbors
• a minimum storage supply of 2,500 gallons
on your property
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Clearly mark all emergency water sources
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Create easy firefighter access to your closest emergency water
source
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If your water comes from a well, consider an emergency
generator to operate the pump during a power failure |