• Check local laws on burning debris. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours; others forbid it entirely.
• Debris should not be accumulated for several days before igniting. It becomes compacted and possibly wet, extending the amount of time required to completely burn the pile.
• While burning debris, stay nearby until the fire is completely burned out or extinguished.
• Have a shovel and water hose nearby to extinguish the fire.
• Keep the area around the burn area clear of other combustibles. Never add gasoline or lighter fluid to the fire as vapors can ignite easily and burn you.
• Consider the alternatives to burning. Some types of debris, such as leaves, grass, and stubble can be recycled or composted. Household trash should be hauled away to a recycling station.

• Refrain from operating equipment on or near dry vegetation on hot, dry days.
• Inspect equipment prior to use. Loosened caps and fuel line leaks can enable fuel to spill onto hot equipment parts and ignite.
• Use extreme caution when operating mowers and edgers near dry grass. Heat from exhaust systems can ignite grasses easily.
• Refuel equipment such as mowers, trimmers and edgers once the engine is turned off and has cooled. Use a funnel to prevent spillage. If spillage has occurred, relocate equipment prior to starting.
• Store gasoline and other flammable liquids in approved safety cans and out of reach of children.
• When operating fuel-powered equipment during summer months, keep a hose handy to extinguish any fires started by equipment use.
• Do your part in wildfire prevention starting with safe practices around your home.

• Will emergency vehicles be able to see your house number at night from the street?
• If you live in a rural area, is your house number at the end of the driveway? Can your address be seen from all directions in the dark?
• Do the house numbers contrast with the background,light colors against dark or dark colors against light?
• Are house numbers large enough to be seen from a moving vehicle?
• Are overhead power lines hanging within 14ft of the ground?

• Leaving a burning field unattended
• Unexpected winds/windy conditions or a change in the wind direction
• Warmer than normal temperatures
• Dryer than normal conditions
• Out buildings or houses in the path of a escaped Ag burn
• Lack of resources (equipment/people) to stop an escaped burn

To reduce the chances of having burning problems:

• Disc a fire line around the field to be burned
• Stay on site with the burn until the fire is in longer a threat
• Keep a water supply on site to help stop the spread of an escaped burn
• Secure proper burn permits
• Be prepared for the worst case scenario

If not:

• What emergency(s) are you most likely to face (fire, hurricane, flood etc)?
• Are there several ways out of your area?
• What will the traffic be like if you have to leave?
• Make sure you leave time for any traffic delays
• Get to know the route, drive it to see how long it will take, then add time for additional traffic
• More than one route? Make sure that all family members know which is preferred (for family members who are mobile/drive)
• Establish a gathering place for family members in another town.
• The bigger the emergency, the farther away the gathering place should be.
• Establish a contact person out of the area and use them as a clearing house for information/status of the gathering of family members during the emergency.
• Take your 72 hour emergency kit, meds, water, cell phone/charger, phone numbers, maps, important papers and whatever else you need.
• Keep a clear mind and try to stay calm.
• If you think you might be evacuated make sure your vehicle is full of gas ahead of time.
• Consider taking a gas can with you in case you run out of gas.
• Make plans now and follow the plan during an emergency.

It's all about being prepared.

• Very little wind, if any, is in the weather forecast
• Don't leave any burns unattended
• Have equipment on hand to help control an escaped fire
• Disc around the fields being burned - Disc it & Don't risk it!
• Make sure the fire is out before you leave the area for the evening.

• Do you need a burn permit?
• Do you need to notify local fire officials about your plan to burn?
• Is it legal to have any opening burning?

• Railroad ties are loaded with "stuff" that will burn hot
• Railroad ties can act like a fuse taking fire to a structure and helping ignite it
• If railroad ties are used, keep them away from any building or home. How far? 100 feet or more
• Using railroad ties and bark together? Bark will hold a smoldering fire and, when it comes in contact with railroad ties, things can heat up very fast.
• Using decorative block or brick would be a better landscaping choice.
• Using decorative rock instead of decorative bark would be a big plus in creating defensible space.

• Cutting back vegetation growth
• Or, move numbers away from the vegetation
• Do a walk around your property to see if vegetation needs to be trimmed back away from and structures.
• If you need to, have your power company trim branches away from power lines.

• Use an established campfire ring whenever possible and always scrape away any burnable material before starting a fire
• Keep it small - A good bed of coals or a small fire surrounded by rocks gives off plenty of heat
• Keep your supply of fire wood away from the campfire
• Never leave a campfire unattended. A small breeze could quickly cause the fire to spread.
• Keep a shovel and water close at hand when your campfire is going
• Don't bury your coals as they can smolder and reignite.
• Before you leave, use water to drown the campfire and use a shovel to stir the water and coals to cool down the fire. Repeat as needed.
• Leave the campfire only when there is no heat left in the fire ring. If it's cool enough to touch, it's cool enough to leave

• Reduce surrounding wildland fuels such as branches, brush, forest litter, rotten logs, tall grass, and other flammable materials.
• Do an exterior home inspection before next summer
• Remove overhanging tree limbs, moss and needles from roof and rain gutters
• Clean chimneys and stove pipes and check spark arrester screens
• Keep storage areas cleaned and tidy; never allow rags or newspapers to accumulate
• Be sure to store flammable liquids in approved containers
• Clear vegetation and flammable materials from around propane tanks
• Stack your fire wood at least 30 feet from your house
• Keep decorative bark and railroad ties away from the foundation. This kind of material provides a great place for sparks to smolder.
• Trim trees to reduce ladder fuels. 10 feet up for tall trees and adjust for shorter trees so there is a balanced look for the tree.
• Maintain the defensible space around your home. Remember, this is not a one-time project.

• There are a lot of BTU's in firewood
• Firewood next to a house can add a lot of heat if it catches fire
• Additional water/foam would be needed to extinguish a fire in a wood pile
• In the event of a fire, firefighters would have to focus, in part, on putting out a fire in a woodpile near a house, instead of concentrating their efforts on fighting a structure fire.
• Stacks of wood leave a flammable mess of chips, splinters and bark next to your house

• Cut back new growth (grass and brush)
• Prune the lower layer of branches from conifers in your yard
• Clean the rain gutters and roof of needles and leaves
• Make sure any screened vents are in good shape (with no holes so sparks can't enter a structure)
• When you start your spring planting, plant Firewise vegetation.