"Working Towards a FireSmart Community"

Spring Home and Yard Preparations

If you live in the wildland/urban interface your home may be at risk to wildfire. Here are some things that you can do during your spring home and yard cleanup to reduce the threat of wildfire to your home.

Home:

  • Remove all combustibles (firewood, lumber, debris piles) a minimum of 10 metres away from the house.
  • Remove all dead needles and leaves from your roof and gutters.
  • Clean dead needles and leaves and any combustibles from underneath home openings (decks, porches) and skirt or screen those openings.
  • Ensure all eaves and vents are screened (attic vents, soffits).
  • Ensure your fireplace chimney is screened, has been recently cleaned, and is free of overhanging branches.
  • If thinking of changing your roofing, use a ULC Class A (non-combustible) roofing material such as metal, clay/ceramic tile, Unicrete recycled rubber, or asphalt shingle.

Yard:

  • Rake and remove all dead and/or down vegetation (trees, shrubs, needles, leaves, grass) from your yard and within a minimum of 3 metres from your house.
  • Remove flammable vegetation next your house (juniper, native grasses, spruce/pine/fir trees).
  • Keep your grass regularly mowed or weed-whipped and use the sprinkler to keep it green and moist.
  • Ensure your outdoor firepit is in a safe location and surrounded by a minimum of one-metre non-combustible surface cover (gravel, concrete).
  • Remove flammable vegetation (grasses, shrubs, trees) for a minimum 3 metre area surrounding your propane tank.

Other:

  • Develop an evacuation plan and ensure all family members are aware of it.
  • Ensure you have enough hose and sprinklers to reach the top of your roof and a ladder to install them when necessary.
  • Have some fire tools on-hand in a readily accessible spot (axe, shovel, water can).

For more information contact:

Kananaskis Emergency Services, (403) 591-7755
Alberta SRD, Forestry Division Southern Rockies Area, (403) 297-8800
Alberta SRD - Firesmart website