Alert area: East Slopes of the Southern Washington Cascades; Eastern Washington Southern Columbia Basin; Lower Columbia Basin of Washington; Yakama Alpine District
Plant fire-resistant shrubs and trees. For example, hardwood trees are less flammable than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus or fir trees. Regularly clean roof and gutters.
Use 1/8-inch mesh screen beneath porches, decks, floor areas, and the home itself. Also, screen openings to floors, roof and attic.
Keep handy household items that can be used as fire tools: a rake, axe, handsaw or chain saw, bucket and shovel.
Consider installing protective shutters or heavy fire-resistant drapes.
Clear items that will burn from around the house, including wood piles, lawn furniture, barbecue grills, tarp coverings, etc. Move them outside of your defensible space.
Identify and maintain an adequate outside water source such as a small pond, cistern, well, swimming pool, or hydrant.
Have a garden hose that is long enough to reach any area of the home and other structures on the property.
Wear protective clothing when outside – sturdy shoes, cotton or woolen clothes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves and a handkerchief to protect your face.
Close outside attic, eaves and basement vents, windows, doors, pet doors, etc. Remove flammable drapes and curtains. Close all shutters, blinds or heavy non-combustible window coverings to reduce radiant heat.
Close all doors inside the house to prevent draft. Open the damper on your fireplace, but close the fireplace screen.
Shut off any natural gas, propane or fuel oil supplies at the source.
Connect garden hoses to outdoor water faucet and fill any pools, hot tubs, garbage cans, tubs or other large containers with water.
Place lawn sprinklers on the roof and near above-ground fuel tanks. Leave sprinklers on and dowsing these strutures as long as possible.
If you have gas-powered pumps for water, make sure they are fueled and ready. Place a ladder against the house in clear view.