Los Angeles Wildfire Season is Coming: Are You Prepared?

4/28/2020 (Permalink)

Clearing leaves and other debris from your roof and yard help to create a defensible space around your property in the event of a wildfire.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, it is natural to focus on your most immediate concerns. That may be as simple as staying healthy or cleaning and disinfecting your property. It may be your job or the challenges of working from home.

If you have children, you may be focused on helping them keep up with school assignments. Or if you're a business owner, adapting your business to meet the changing demands of a world that's staying home is your primary concern.

In the near term, these are all vital things and deserve our undivided attention. But even in a pandemic, life continues, and now is a good time to prepare for other, inevitable things to come. For homeowners and property managers, that includes the summer heat and coming wildfire season.

Los Angeles Wildfire Risk

Because we live in such an urban area, we forget we are as susceptible to wildfires as the more remote spots in our state.

Our location in the San Fernando Valley is surrounded by woods. The Angeles National Forest is to the northeast. The Santa Monica Mountains are to the west. And the Hollywood Hills are to the south. Not to mention patches of parks and open spaces like La Tuna Canyon and Griffith Park. All provide ample fuel for wildfires during the hot and dry summer months.

In 2019, nearly 8,000 wildfires burned their way across California. October featured three large fires within Los Angeles County. The Saddleridge, Tick and Getty fires burned more than 15,000 acres and destroyed dozens of homes and property.

In other words, wildfires will happen. And they will impact cities like ours. The only question is when.

Preventing and Mitigating Fires

Some Los Angeles wildfires start from things that are our our of our control, like faulty power lines. But there are things we, as property owners, can do to help prevent fires in general.

The first and most obvious is preventing kitchen fires. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, so pay a little extra attention while preparing dinner.

Likewise, it's a good idea to take precautions while using your BBQ or gathered around a fire pit. And be sure to test your smoke alarms and have fire extinguishers charged and at the ready!

Preparing for Wildfires

Beyond taking care around your own fires, there are other things you can do to prepare your property in the event of a wildfire.

For homeowners, you can prepare for wildfires by creating a defensible perimeter around your home. Clear leaves, branches and other debris from your roof and yard, and trim plant growth around your property. You should review evacuation plans with your family, or create one if you haven't already.

For business owners or commercial property managers, you can prepare for wildfire season a couple ways. First, take extra care in managing flammable materials. And go over your business continuity plan. The last thing you want is to compound the current challenges with additional lost revenue due to fire, smoke and soot damage.

SERVPRO is Here to Help

If nothing else, the coronavirus pandemic proved the difficulty of preparing for every possible disaster. But we are spending a lot of extra time at home. Using some of that time to prepare for the annual Los Angeles wildfire season may help you avoid another headache this summer.

Should your property suffer fire damage, whether from a wildfire or another source, SERVPRO of North Hollywood is here to help. We're available 24/7 to clean, deodorize, repair and restore your home or business "Like it never even happened."