Make your home wildfire defensible

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - As the temperatures warm up and everything gets drier, there is a danger that keeps growing all around us.

Wildfire season is now a year round concern, and this year is especially bad. 

A wet spring caused the grasses to grow more than usual.

There is now a huge amount of fuel in the urban interface areas.

People who lived through the Charlotte Fire are now sounding the alarm in hopes of not having history repeat its self. 

"We've rebuilt, and picked up and started again, but I just hope everybody really looks at the grass around their places because it's here again, an I don't want to go through it again, I don't think I could," said Steven Leeman who lost his home in the Charlotte Fire.

Leeman is vigilant about making his home as protected as possible. He maintains a large green space around the house. He has cut a fire line of dirt completely around his property line and has set up a sprinkler system to make sure he can get a lot of water on the outer edges of this property and he makes sure all of the tall grass is cut down so there is not any fuel for a fast moving fire. 

These are key steps provided by the National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise program:

• Clear leaves and other debris from gutters, eaves, porches and decks. This prevents embers from igniting your home.
• Remove dead vegetation and other items from under your deck or porch, and within 10 feet of the house. Learn more about the basics of defensible space on the Firewise website.
• Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.
• Remove flammable materials (firewood stacks, propane tanks) within 30 feet of your home’s foundation and outbuildings, including garages and sheds. If it can catch fire, don’t let it touch your house, deck or porch.
• Wildfire can spread to treetops. Prune trees so the lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet from the ground.
• Keep your lawn hydrated and maintained. If it is brown, cut it down to reduce fire intensity. Dry grass and shrubs are fuel for wildfire.
• Don’t let debris and lawn cuttings linger. Dispose of these items quickly to reduce fuel for fire.
• Inspect shingles or roof tiles. Replace or repair those that are loose or missing to prevent ember penetration.
• Cover exterior attic vents with metal wire mesh no larger than 1/8 inch to prevent sparks from entering the home.
• Enclose under-eave and soffit vents or screens with metal mesh to prevent ember entry.
• Learn more about how to protect your home and property at www.firewise.org.

You can find more information on how to protect your home from fires HERE.