The California wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their neighbourhoods is nothing to ignore. As the world watches in disbelief, many Americans are taking whatever steps they can to help prevent the next fire from reaching or destroying their property, and you can too. Yair Ben-Dor has more.
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00:00The California wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their neighborhoods is nothing to ignore.
00:10As the world watches in disbelief, many Americans are taking whatever steps they can to help prevent the next fire from reaching or destroying their property, and you can too.
00:21According to firefighters on your side, defensible space is the buffer between your home and the vegetation that surrounds it.
00:29Creating defensible space improves your home's chances of surviving a wildfire and gives firefighters a safe area to work in to defend your home.
00:39There's plenty of information about this online.
00:42Cedar recommends using fire-resistant roofing shingles because one of your home's best defenses is its roof.
00:50Sparks and any burning debris can be lifted and carried by the wind up to a half a mile away and onto your roof.
00:57Because of that risk, you'll want to choose a roof that is more fire-resistant than traditional roofing options like asphalt or wood shingles.
01:05But this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other ways to keep your home safe during a wildfire.
01:12Whether it's making sure to clean out your gutters, installing heavy-duty windows, or choosing and maintaining the right plants for a garden capable of withstanding flames, protecting your home and your family is up to you.