24/7 Emergency ServiceWhat Is Defensible Space? | SERVPRO® of Putnam County
7/22/2021 (Permalink)
If your home is damaged by fire or any other reason, SERVPRO of Putnam County is ready and able to repair any damage.
Wildfires happen more than people think, and they often cause property damage! Since your home is one of the most valuable investments you’ll ever make, it’s important to be aware of safety measures to protect it in the case of this type of natural disaster. Wildfires can spread at incredible rates, and it’s in part because of the combustible materials our world is made up of.
Wildfires are usually beyond anyone’s control, but we can help a good deal by simply being more careful. You can also practice a home protection philosophy called “defensible space.”
Defensible space will help slow or stop the spread of wildfires by creating a buffer around a certain space, such as your property. Wildfires spread when they have fuel to keep them going, which can include tree branches and dry leaves. That is why it’s important to use responsible planting and pruning practices. You can also enhance your protection by incorporating fire-resistant landscaping elements such as gravel.
Defensible space creates an invisible barrier of protection, designed to protect your home from wildfires. Removing fuel sources helps slow or stop the spread of fire as it draws nearer, and it also gives firefighters their best chance of stopping a wildfire before it reaches your home.
In some places, defensible space is a requirement, but it’s important to implement even when it’s not mandatory.
We often see the state of California on the news for incredibly large and fast-traveling wildfires. But in reality, wildfires can—and do—happen anywhere.
There were over 59,000 wildfires across the United States in 2020. Yes, California did account for 10,000+ of that number, but the average number of wildfires per state in 2020 was still right under 1,000. Here in New York, we saw 192 wildfires last year, burning 1,123 acres of land.
Though we are fortunate enough to not have as large wildfires as California, we do still experience them. So, it’s essential that we do everything we can to help prevent them. Defensible space is one way that we can do our part.
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.