[californiadisasters] Be Ember Aware!

Wildfires are a fact of life in Orange County. It's only a matter of time until the next one occurs. Unfortunately, media coverage and our natural fear of fire have led many people to believe that direct flame contact is responsible for the destruction of most homes, which isn't true. In order to protect your home, you need to understand what really threatens it during a wildfire.

Most homes are started by wildfire embers, not flames. Embers are burning pieces of flammable material like pine cones, tree bark, twigs, and wood shingles. Once they're picked up by strong Santa Ana winds, embers can travel as much as five miles ahead of the active front of a wildfire. Before flames get anywhere near your home, windblown embers can fall like rain on the roof, patio cover, and deck. Whether they smolder under a wood shingle, swirl under an open eave, burrow into a crack in combustible siding, or enter through an unprotected vent, embers that come in contact with flammable material can result in flames that threaten your home.

If embers fall on and ignite nearby trees and bushes, the radiant heat produced by the fire can ignite combustible siding, doors, or window frames. Radiant heat can also cause windows to break, creating passages that flames and embers can use to enter your home. Once the home is on fire, it will create more embers that can be picked up by Santa Ana winds, travel to other homes and neighborhoods, and increase fire loss for the entire community.

Embers create an enormous threat during a wildfire, and the most effective way to reduce that threat is to follow Home Hardening and Vegetation Management guidelines. Take responsibility! It's the steps you take now to harden your home and manage your vegetation that will protect your family, your home, your neighborhood, and your community during the next wildfire.

For more information, visit www.readysetgooc.org and schedule a home assessment.

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