Wildfire Protections

CRAWFORD. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REMAINS UNDER EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND THE RISK FOR WILDFIRES IS VERY HIGH IN SOME PARTS OF OUR AREA. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE REPORTING DROUGHT CONDITIONS WILL LAST UNTIL THE END OF MAY. THAT'S WHEN THE RAINY SEASON TYPICALLY STARTS. THIS HAS LED TO SCENES LIKE THIS ONE CURRENTLY OFF HIGHWAY. 41 WHERE LOW HUMIDITY AND SHIFTING WINDS HAVE ALLOWED A WILDFIRE TO GAIN MOMENTUM. THIS FIRE IS ABOUT 6 MILES WEST OF MIAMI AND HAS SPREAD TO MORE THAN 8500 ACRES AS THE RISK FOR WILDFIRES CONTINUES TO STAY HIGH. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR PROPERTY FROM ENCROACHING FLAMES? >> MICHELLE STEINBERG, THE DIRECTOR OF THE WILDFIRE DIVISION AT THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION. >> JOINS US NOW WITH MORE MISS STEINBERG. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. IT'S MY PLEASURE. THANK YOU, JENNIFER. NOW IT IS COMMON TO WALK OUTSIDE AND SMELL THE SMOKE FROM WILDFIRES THAT THIS TIME IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, FIRE CREWS ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO KEEP PROPERTY AND PEOPLE SAFE. FIRST. WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT INADVERTENTLY SPARKED A WILDFIRE? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE WHEN IT'S HOT, DRY, WINDY OUT, NOT A GOOD TIME TO START YOUR CAMPFIRE, USE, PROTECT, PERHAPS A GRILL OR BE DOING WORK WITH A LOT MACHINES THAT COULD START A SPARK. THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO MAKE SURE IT'S A COOLER TIME OF DAY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT OUTSIDE WORK. AND SO JUST BEING VERY CAREFUL ABOUT USE OF FIRE IS VERY IMPORTANT DURING A HIGH WILDFIRE DANGER PERIOD. >> AND WHAT CAN WE DO IN ADVANCE TO PROTECT OUR PROPERTY AND BUSINESSES? >> RIGHT. SO THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR WILDFIRE. >> AND WHAT WE DO IS ASK PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR BUSINESSES OR HOMES, THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES TO LOOK FOR ANY OPENINGS THAT AND AMBER COULD BLOW THIS IS WHERE THIS IS THE BURNING PIECES OF MATERIAL THAT ARE BLOWN OUT FROM A FIRE THAT COULD LAND IN LAWNS IN GUTTERS. AROUND X, JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOTHING THERE THAT CAN CATCH AND IGNITE AND THEN BRING FIRE TO YOUR HOME OR WERE EMBERS COULD ENTER INTO THE HOME. THAT IS A VERY BAD FOR YOUR HOME TO HAVE BURNING EMBERS COMING INTO ADDICTS ARE BEING IN AND IN GARAGES OR THINGS LIKE THAT. SO LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS AND THEN REMOVING ANY DEAD OR DOWNED LITTER. SO YOU'VE GOT LEAVES MAYBE PALM FRONTS, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GIVING THE FIRE NO FUEL. THAT'S VERY CLOSE TO YOUR HOME. >> WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF RISK REDUCTION PROJECTS AND ARE THEY EXPENSIVE? >> IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PROPERTY. IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. BUT MANY RISK REDUCTION PROJECTS AROUND HOMES CAN BE VERY EASY. THEY CAN BE A DO IT YOURSELF TYPE PROJECT AND AND PRETTY INEXPENSIVE. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE ASKED PEOPLE TO DO IS START WHERE THEIR HOME AND THEIR WAY OUT INTO THE LANDSCAPE. AND THAT MEANS, FOR EXAMPLE, SCREENING SOME VENTS IS FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE AND WHETHER YOU HIRE A CONTRACTOR OR YOU DO IT YOURSELF, IT COULD BE RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE AND MAKING SURE YOU'RE CLEARING OUT ANY DEBRIS THAT'S FALLEN. THAT'S SORT OF A REGULAR UPKEEP TYPE THING THAT YOU COULD BE DOING AND PERHAPS WORKING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS. IF YOU SHARE A FENCE LINE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND PARTICULARLY A WOODEN FENCE, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO MATERIAL ACCUMULATING THERE THAT CAN IGNITE THAT WOODEN FENCE AND WHERE THAT RUNS UP TO CONNECT TO YOUR PROPERTY. YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT A LARGER PROJECT THAT REMOVE MAYBE THE FIRST 5 FEET OF THAT WOOD FENCE WHERE IT TOUCHES THE HOUSE. REPLACE THAT WITH METAL OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT WOULDN'T BURN THAT IS A REALLY GOOD AND EFFECTIVE PROJECT TO INVEST AND >> AND CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED THE HOME IGNITION ZONE AND WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT. >> RIGHT. SO THE VARIOUS PROJECTS AND THINGS THAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT ARE IN THAT HOME IGNITION ZONE AND THAT THIS DESCRIBES THE HOME ITSELF AND EVERYTHING AROUND IT WITHIN 100 FEET OF THE HOME. THAT'S WHERE SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND THAT THOSE ACTIVITIES IN THAT AREA MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE WHEN THE THE HOME IS GOING TO IGNITE FROM A WILDFIRE. AND SO PREPARING YOUR HOME IN THAT WAY. STARTING WITH THE HOME WORKING YOUR WAY OUT REALLY DOES REFLECT BACK IN THE SCIENCE OF HOW HOMES IGNITE AND SURVIVE DURING THESE FIRES THAT'S WHY WE RECOMMEND THAT WORK. >> NOW WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOME AND BUSINESS OWNERS CAN DO TO PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME. WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE THAT RENT HOMES, CONDOS OR APARTMENTS. WHAT SHOULD THEY DO WITH THEIR BELONGINGS? IS THERE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT THEY SHOULD DO AS TENANTS RATHER THAN HOMEOWNERS? RIGHT? LOOKING DOES A COUPLE THINGS. ONE IS. >> BEING PREPARED, KNOWING WHAT WOULD A ARE YOU GOING TO GET A WARNING IN THE CASE OF WILDFIRE? WHAT KINDS OF CONDITIONS YOU SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE I SAID, HOT, DRY, WINDY DAYS ARE THE HIGH BECAUSE OF A WILDFIRE STARTS ON ONE OF THOSE DAYS. IT CAN SPREAD VERY QUICKLY MOVE VERY FAST. JUST TO BE AWARE OF WHERE LEGO DO I HAVE AN EVACUATION PLAN TO GET OUT OF MY HOME OUT OF MY COMMUNITY AND TO SOMEPLACE SAFE AND HOW DO I COMMUNICATE WITH MY LOVED ONES THAT I AM SAFER FROM THE WILDFIRE. AND FINALLY, A GO BAG OR EVACUATION KIT IS REALLY HELPFUL. AND FINALLY, I WOULD SAY FOR RENTERS OFTEN, PEOPLE DON'T THINK OF THIS. MOST HOMES. IF YOU'VE GOT A MORTGAGE, YOU PROBABLY GOT HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE. YOU PRETTY MUCH REQUIRED TO HAVE IT. BUT MANY RENTERS GO WITHOUT INSURANCE OR ADEQUATE INSURANCE. AND THAT IS IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY INEXPENSIVE INVESTMENT IN YOUR OWN PEACE OF MIND IN SAFETY TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN REPLACE THOSE BELONGINGS IF THE WORST HAPPENS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. MS STEINBERG. THANK YOU.