Create a “defensible space”

Reduce or eliminate all fire-prone vegetation, debris, furniture and other types of combustible fuels from around your home, creating a perimeter up to 30 feet. Creating this buffer can be one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to protect your home, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“Harden” your home

Ideally, you’ll have installed a roof made out of Class A-rated fire-retardant material and have decks and siding likewise made of fire-safe materials. A retrofit checklist from Cal Fire also recommends covering all vent openings with 1/16-inch to 1/8-inch noncombustible corrosion-resistant metal mesh screens.

In the more immediate term, and at no cost, you can clear dead leaves and pine needles from your roof, gutters, decks and base of walls and trim tree branches that overhang the roof and chimney. You should continue to maintain your home and property throughout the fire season.

Create a family evacuation plan

Put together a “go bag,” as recommended by the American Red Cross and Cal Fire, that has copies of important documents, a flashlight, first aid kit, disinfectant, pet food and supplies and items for each family member, including medications, a change of clothes and a three-day supply of non-perishable food and water.

Cal Fire also recommends remembering “the Six Ps” for evacuation: people and pets; papers, phone numbers and important documents; prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses; pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia; personal computer and external storage; and “plastics” (credit and debit cards).

Designate how you’ll gather up pets and make sure utilities are turned off and windows are closed (so embers don’t fly in). Know your escape route from your neighborhood, and arrange a meeting place outside the fire area in case people get separated. Ask a friend or relative to be a point of contact. Find more Cal Fire tips at www.readyforwildfire.org.

Prepare for smoke

Designate at least one room in the home that can be closed off to outside air, and invest in a portable air purifier and N95 respirator masks. Experience from past years shows that it’s better to do so sooner rather than later, because supplies may run out at the height of fire season.

N95 masks also should be more readily available than they were during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, but experts caution that they have their limitations. The EPA says they need to be worn properly to keep out smoke particles, and not for long periods of time. In addition, N95 masks don’t provide oxygen and don’t filter out toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide, that are present in wood smoke. Above all, experts say people should stay indoors as much as possible on smoky days.

For more information on being prepared, visit SacramentoReady.org. For up-to-date information on available resources in the event of a disaster, visit 2-1-1 Sacramento.org.