Wildfires pose a large threat to our community, especially when high winds blow embers ahead of the flames. We saw it here in Rancho Santa Fe during the Witch Creek Fire in 2007.

The video below, produced by the Institute for Business and Home Safety, demonstrates the importance of defensible space and fire-resistant construction, especially within the first 5 feet of the structure. The left side of the house is built to normal standards while the right side is made of fire-resistant materials and has 5 feet of defensible space around the structure. Watch what happens when the test house is exposed to embers similar to those seen in typical wildfire conditions as shown in the video above.

Now that we have seen the threat posed by embers during a wildfire, what can we do to better protect our homes? The following videos by the National Fire Protection Association offer simple steps homeowners can take now to protect their homes from future wildfires.

5 Key Areas

The following video provides a more in depth look at how wildfires burn and how you can better protect your home and property.

Your Home Can Survive a Wildfire

For more information about what steps you can take to make your home more fire-resistant, please visit the NFPA’s “Preparing Homes for Wildfire” page.