Prepare your home and family for wildfire

Most homes that burn in a wildfire are not reached by the wall of flames. They catch fire from small burning pieces of wood and bark, called embers, that blow ahead of the fire and land somewhere that burns. The good news: most of the fixes are simple, cheap and things you can do yourself.

1. Gutters full of leaves and pine needles. An ember lands in them and the flames sit right against the edge of the roof.
2. Open attic and crawlspace vents. Embers blow inside. Cover vents with metal mesh no coarser than 1/8 inch.
3. A wood fence that touches the house. If it catches fire, it keeps burning against the wall.
4. Firewood stacked against the house. It catches easily, burns hot for a long time and is hard to put out.
5. Bark mulch and bushes like juniper against the walls. Both catch embers easily.
6. Doormats, cushions and trash cans by the door. Anything that burns next to the house can start a fire there.
7. Leaves and stored things under the deck. Embers end up where the leaves pile up.

More on each one, with the fixes: how homes catch fire.

Three things protect a home

1. Leave embers nowhere to land and catch fire. Clean gutters, cover vents, and keep anything that burns away from the exterior walls.
2. Keep the yard from carrying fire to the house. The first 5 feet should have nothing that burns, and plants and trees farther out should be spaced and trimmed.
3. Be ready to leave, early. Pack before fire season, know your way out, and go when you are told to, or sooner. Fire conditions can change very quickly.

The guide

• How homes catch fireGutters full of leaves, wood fences, firewood by the wall and other places embers land.
• The three zones around your homeWhat to do in the first 5 feet, out to 30 feet and out to 100 feet.
• Make your home harder to igniteRoof, gutters, vents, windows, decks, siding and fences.
• Where to build on hilly landWhy fire runs uphill, and the spots to avoid.
• Enable fire engines to safely reach your homeIf a crew can't get in and out safely, they can't protect your home.
• Yearly checklistWhat to do each spring, summer and fall.
• Get ready to leaveGo bag, papers and photos, and what to do at each evacuation level.

Where this comes from

This guide puts official advice into everyday words. Each page lists its sources, including the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Washington DNR, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety and CAL FIRE's Ready for Wildfire. Your local fire department and county may have rules of their own; they come first.

Why to be ready to leave early: Oregon wildfire evacuation guidance.