The rain is gone and the warm sunny days are upon us! But with our warm sunny summer days come the possibility of wildfire fueled by the large amounts of brush and overgrowth in some of our communities. Are you prepared to protect your property from a wildfire? Here are a few quick tips to help you prepare your property:

Create a defensible space around your property. By creating this space you will reduce the risk that the fire will spread to your structure. A defensible space should be 30 feet of clearance around the home, which is required by law. An additional 70 feet is considered a Reduced Fuel Zone and could apply depending on the location of your property and the surrounding vegetation.

How to create a defensible space:

1. Remove all buildup of needles and leaves from roof and gutters.

2. Keep tree limbs cut back 10 feet from the chimneys and remove dry limbs overhanging any structures (i.e. home, garage or carport).

3. A screen over your chimney outlet to not more than ½ inch mesh is required by law.

In the event a fire does occur, it would be helpful to have a household inventory. Use a video or digital camera to photograph the various rooms in your house. Take a few minutes to document your possessions and note their values. Store a copy of your inventory with your very important documents, possibly offsite.

A free Home Inventory Guide is available at www.insurance.ca.gov

This is a great time to review you California homeowner’s insurance policy with an agent in our office to assure that you have sufficient coverage for your home and personal contents. Our agents are ready to assist you with any questions you may have.