Fire officials offer tips to protect homes

With a hot summer around the corner, the Douglas County Fire Prevention Cooperative encourages home and property owners to prepare for wildfire by increasing their structures’ resistance to fire.

Each year wildfires threaten homes and communities. Wildfire Awareness Week — which began Monday — is a reminder of how to stymie these threats.

Regular routine maintenance, along with proper landscaping, goes a long way in helping homes survive the encroachment of wildfire.

Here’s how to buffer your home with resistance:

• Cover all vents — roof or foundation — with a fine-mesh screen to prevent sparks or embers from blowing in or under your home.

• Use fire-resistant materials such as tile, composition shingles or metal for roofing.

• Keep flammable materials away from propane, oil or fuel tanks.

• Clear your home’s roof and gutters of needles and leaves.

• Rake and remove dry vegetation and debris from around your home and other buildings; Keep flammable materials away from wooden decks or walkways.

• Only use noncombustible deck furniture.

• Store firewood at least 30 feet away from the home.

• Consider replacing wooden fences with noncombustible fencing material.

Information: 672-6507