We know that you are busy, but we highly suggest you watch the two short videos we have included by clicking on the play buttons. You will need high speed internet to watch these. It is video of the Yorba Linda and Corona areas of Southern California on November 15, 2008. This fire started as a grass fire! It grew and became known as the “Freeway Complex”. Being in Southern California, everyone had a video camera so we have lots of amazing video showing just how desperate the real thing is. These homes are relatively new, expensive, and are made of “fire resistant” materials. Typical construction is tile roof and stucco siding. Things we want you to notice:

• Watch where the fires typically start: Roofs and attics. It only takes one ember to cost you your home. One drop of water at the right time in the right place could save it. None of these homes caught fire from the wildfire itself.
  
  
• Watch the embers flying by. At night you would be able to see many more.
  
  
• Look at how the Firefighters are dressed. Now look at the residents…
  
  
• Count the houses. Now count the fire engines. BIG difference.
  
  
• Look at how much water pressure the garden hoses have. Almost none. And the wind makes them almost useless to get water where it’s needed: on the roofs and at the vents.
  
  
• Note that when a house catches fire it is almost impossible to save. Even several fire hoses fail to save these houses once the fire starts!
  
  
• Water! Water! All the Firefighters are looking for it! Listen to the guys saying “Lou, we’re out of water!” and “Nothing we could do. We ran out of water.”
  
  
• Eye and airway protection are a must. Shorts and flip-flops are a bad choice.

While these are residential neighborhoods in Southern California, they could be anywhere and the pictures would be the same. Houses in the woods are subjected to even worse conditions, but the essentials of hardening your home to stop these disasters from happening are very similar.

You’ve seen a lot of houses burn. Now let’s start working on saving yours! 

We know that you are busy, but we highly suggest you watch the two short videos we have included by clicking on the play buttons. You will need high speed internet to watch these. It is video of the Yorba Linda and Corona areas of Southern California on November 15, 2008. This fire started as a grass fire! It grew and became known as the “Freeway Complex”. Being in Southern California, everyone had a video camera so we have lots of amazing video showing just how desperate the real thing is. These homes are relatively new, expensive, and are made of “fire resistant” materials. Typical construction is tile roof and stucco siding. Things we want you to notice:

• Watch where the fires typically start: Roofs and attics. It only takes one ember to cost you your home. One drop of water at the right time in the right place could save it. None of these homes caught fire from the wildfire itself.
  
  
• Watch the embers flying by. At night you would be able to see many more.
  
  
• Look at how the Firefighters are dressed. Now look at the residents…
  
  
• Count the houses. Now count the fire engines. BIG difference.
  
  
• Look at how much water pressure the garden hoses have. Almost none. And the wind makes them almost useless to get water where it’s needed: on the roofs and at the vents.
  
  
• Note that when a house catches fire it is almost impossible to save. Even several fire hoses fail to save these houses once the fire starts!
  
  
• Water! Water! All the Firefighters are looking for it! Listen to the guys saying “Lou, we’re out of water!” and “Nothing we could do. We ran out of water.”
  
  
• Eye and airway protection are a must. Shorts and flip-flops are a bad choice.

While these are residential neighborhoods in Southern California, they could be anywhere and the pictures would be the same. Houses in the woods are subjected to even worse conditions, but the essentials of hardening your home to stop these disasters from happening are very similar.

You’ve seen a lot of houses burn. Now let’s start working on saving yours!