Wildfire Preparedness - Resident

Firefighter spraying flames

Personal responsibility is key when preparing for wildfire. 

It is critical to prepare your property now. 

  • Residential burning can be an efficient, free option to help clear your property of debris. Find more information here. 
  • Burn permits will be required starting April 18. 
  • The county offers a low-cost chipping service for residents. Learn more about the county chipper program.
  • Placer has a variety of green waste recycling locations and pick-up services for your yard waste. Find a location near where you live here.

***May 7 is Wildfire Preparedness Day. Check with your local fire safe council for events happening in your community to prepare for wildfire!***

>>Find your local council here.<<

Wildfires cfire)an ruin homes and cause injuries or death to people and animals. A wildfire is an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, grassland, or prairie. Wildfires are fires burning in natural areas, although they can spread into developed areas between urbanized and wildland areas (called the wildland-urban interface) where they can do damage to people and property. They occur most often in late summer and autumn when temperatures are high and several months have passed without significant precipitation, creating large amounts of dry plants that can act as fuel. Warmer temperatures and an increase in drought conditions are likely to create more fuel for fires in the state’s wildlands, leading to a greater chance that a spark will grow into a dangerous blaze. 

Wildfires can:

  • - Often be caused by humans or lightning.
  • - Cause flooding or disrupt transportation, gas, power, and communications.
  • - Happen anywhere, anytime. Risk increases within periods of little rain and high winds.
  • - Cost the federal government billions of dollars each year.

IF YOU ARE UNDER A WILDFIRE WARNING, GET TO SAFETY RIGHT AWAY

  • Leave if told to do so.
  • If trapped, call 9-1-1.
  • Listen for emergency information and alerts.

Wildfire is coming… are you ready?

Get prepared for wildfire before it strikes by following Ready, Set, Go!

  • Be Ready: Create and maintain defensible space and harden your home against flying embers.
  • Get Set: Prepare your family and home ahead of time for the possibility of having to evacuate.
  • Be Ready to GO!: Take the evacuation steps necessary to give your family and home the best chance of surviving a wildfire.

Download the Ready for Wildfire app

Download on the Apple App Store   Get the app on Google Play    

HOW TO STAY SAFE WHEN A WILDFIRE THREATENS

Prepare NOW

  • Sign up for Placer Alert. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.
  • Know your community’s evacuation plans and find several ways to leave the area. Drive the evacuation routes and find shelter locations. Have a plan for pets and livestock.
  • Gather emergency supplies, including N95 respirator masks that filter out particles in the air you breathe. Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including and updated asthma action plan and medication. Don’t forget the needs of pets.
  • Designate a room that can be closed off from outside air. Close all doors and windows. Set up a portable air cleaner to keep indoor pollution levels low when smoky conditions exist.
  • Keep important documents in a fireproof, safe place. Create password-protected digital copies.
  • Use fire-resistant materials to build, renovate, or make repairs.
  • Find an outdoor water source with a hose that can reach any area of your property.
  • Create a fire-resistant zone that is free of leaves, debris, or flammable materials for at least 30 feet from your home.
  • Review insurance coverage to make sure it is enough to replace your property.
  • Pay attention to air quality alerts.

Survive DURING

  • Evacuate immediately if authorities tell you to do so.
  • If trapped, then call 911 and give your location, but be aware that emergency response could be delayed or impossible. Turn on lights to help rescuers find you.
  • Listen to EAS, NOAA Weather Radio, or local alerting systems for current emergency information and instructions.
  • If you are not ordered to evacuate but smoky conditions exist, stay inside in a safe location or go to a community building where smoke levels are lower.

Be Safe AFTER

  • Listen to authorities to find out when it is safe to return, and whether water is safe to drink.
  • Avoid hot ash, charred trees, smoldering debris, and live embers. The ground may contain heat pockets that can burn you or spark another fire. Consider the danger to pets and livestock.
  • Send text messages or use social media to reach out to family and friends. Phone systems are often busy following a disaster. Make calls only in emergencies.
  • Wear a NIOSH certified-respirator dust mask and wet debris down to minimize breathing dust particles.
  • Document property damage with photographs. Conduct an inventory and contact your insurance company for assistance.
  • Wildfires dramatically change landscape and ground conditions, which can lead to increased risk of flooding due to heavy rains, flash flooding and mudflows. Flood risk remains significantly higher until vegetation is restored—up to 5 years after a wildfire. Consider purchasing flood insurance to protect the life you’ve built and to assure financial protection from future flooding.

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