Your Surroundings Can Protect You From Wildfire | SERVPRO® of Eastern Rockland County

7/23/2021 (Permalink)

If your home is damaged by fire or any other reason, SERVPRO of Eastern Rockland County is ready and able to repair any damage.

It’a a nightmare scenario for any home or property owner—seeing a wildfire come near and threaten to destroy one’s home. It may not happen often in New York, but wildfires are more common than you think. And considering the speed and veracity with which they spread, and how much combustible material is all around, it’s a wonder we can contain them at all.

But there are practical steps we can take to prevent and combat wildfires, beyond the significant difference we could make by just being more careful.

Let’s look into one of those steps: defensible space.

What Is Defensible Space?

It’s not about fighting Martian invaders—“defensible space” is a wildfire defense method employing a series of buffer zones you create around your property. By planting and pruning intentionally and purposefully, removing things like dead trees and brush which help fire spread quickly, and adding areas of hardscape or gravel around your perimeter, you can give your property a fighting chance against wildfire.

Think of it as a safety barrier (aka defense), designed to safeguard your home by slowing or removing a fire’s fuel supply as it approaches your home. It also gives firefighters a better chance of stopping a wildfire before it reaches the house.

Defensible space isn’t required by law in New York, but it’s a good practice to consider all the same.

Why Defensible Space Matters

While it’s true that the top states for wildfires are west of the Mississippi River, the fact is they can and do happen all over. There were over 59,000 wildfires across the United States in 2020, and almost 200 of them were in New York, burning up over 1,100 acres of land. (Told you we’d prove it.)

Even without California’s 10,000+ wildfires, that leaves an average of almost 1,000 fires per state, and what’s more, the first six months of 2021 have seen a 25% increase in fires already.

Defensible space is one more way we can make a difference in preventing and slowing destruction caused by wildfires.

SERVPRO of Eastern Rockland County is a experienced fire restoration company. After you have the safety plan in place, have our phone number on hand in case your home has a fire damage event. We have trained Service Technicians on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help you in case of an emergency. Visit Fire Damage Services to learn more.

If your home is damaged by fire of any sort, wild or not, SERVPRO is ready and able to repair the damage caused. Get in touch today to get the pros on your team.