WILDFIRES
You can help defend your property from wildfire damage with a little bit of work over the weekend.
Remove:
Dry vegetation, such as dead grass and leaves WITHIN THIRTY FEET of your home.
Tree branches WITHIN TEN FEET of your chimneys.
Branches WITHIN SIX TO TEN FEET of the ground.
Firewood WITHIN FIFTY FEET of your home.
Thick beds of pine needles WITHIN TEN FEET of your home.
Cover:
Chimneys, attic and soffit vents, and elevated wood decks with a non-combustible screening of one quarter inch or smaller mesh.
Plant:
Native, fire resistant vegetation.
All trees and shrubs at least ten feet apart.
Maintain:
A healthy, watered defensible space of lawn and plants at least thirty feet around your home." A legible and clearly marked street number. A twelve foot wide by fifteen foot high driveway clearance for fire engines.
Install:
Roof covering material with a Class A fire resistive rating.
Spark arresters in all chimney outlets. Skirting around mobile homes.
Maintain an emergency water supply within one thousand feet of your home through one of the following:
Community water hydrant system
Drafting site on a lake
Cooperative emergency storage tank with neighbors
Swimming pool
Remember, if under a wildfire threat, only remove dead leaves or vegetation when local garbage collection services will have time to pick up the debris. Do not burn vegetation without following local requirements, laws and ordinances.
For more information please click on the link below:
www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/fire
