MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - June 21, 2010) - (Family Features) Wildfires pose a real threat to residents across the country, and there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of loss and to protect those you love.
Wildfires are a natural part of the environment. They occur everywhere that patterns of dry and windy weather exist. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, over 77,000 fires burned nearly 6 million acres across the entire U.S. in 2009.
To help educate the public, the National Fire Protection Association's Firewise Program helps communities lower the risk of damage before wildfire starts.
"By learning about how wildfires spread and taking simple steps to reduce damage, we can adapt to the inevitability of wildfire danger," said Michele Steinberg, Firewise Program Manager in Quincy, Mass. "Wildfires do not have to burn everything in their paths. You can prepare your home simply and effectively."
Make Your Home Firewise
To reduce the wildfire threat around your home, start close to your home and work your way out.
When building or retrofitting, choose fire-resistant or non-combustible construction materials for homes, decks, porches and fences.
To learn more about how you can take action to reduce wildfire damage to your home, download a free Firewise User Guide at www.firewise.org. You can also get detailed landscape techniques, homeowner checklists, and information on building construction choices.