Do you know how to protect your Orlando area home from Wildfires?  With as much as 56 percent of the county in a drought right now, knowing how to protect your most valuable asset is the first step in protecting your investment.   With more and more homes being build just outside of forest and wildland which is increasing the risk of homes being impacted by a wildfire event.  There are things that you can do that can increase your homes chance of survival in a wildfire. 

Tips for Homeowners to help protect your home from a wildfire:

•  Create a “defensible space” around your home that is at least 30 feet around where you mow the grass regularly and plant moisture rich plants. 
• Prune tree limbs at least 15 feet high, to keep the fire from racing up the tree to reach your roof.
• Clean your gutters and roof
• Keep a shovel, rake and ladder in a readily accessible location along with 50-100 feet of garden hose attached to an outside faucet.
• Replace wood shingle or wood shake roofs with fire-retardant shingles, metal or tile roofs.
• Develop a family preparedness plan

*tips provided by the Florida Forest Service

Take the Wildfire Hazard Assessment to find out if your Orlando area home is at risk for wildfires.  Some of the things you want to look at:

• Do you live near a Wildland/Urban interface
• Is your home accessible for emergency equipment?
• Do you have vegetation that is flammable close to your home?
• Is your home near a fire station?

Conditions in Florida for wildfires have decreased in recent months due to the heavy rains from Debby.  Since we still have our wet season to come the Florida Forest Service is saying that we are currently near to below normal wildfire risk.  These conditions are ever changing based on rain fall totals. 

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