Wildfire season is approaching. Here's how to prepare your home and yard

The North State's wildfire season arrives with hot weather. But people can cut the risk of wildfire damaging their homes and yards by taking six steps before summer lands and keeping those safety habits in place through the fall.

People who lost their homes in major wildfires ― including the 2018 Carr Fire that raged through towns in western Shasta County ― couldn’t have stopped those massive blazes. But property owners and renters may be able to slow any future fire’s spread, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Here are six ways to help prepare your home and yard for fire season, according to Shasta College’s Master Gardener Leimone Waite, Cal Fire and officials from the California Office of Emergency Services.

Clean indoors and out

Clean attics, garages and building exteriors and keep them clean in summer and autumn.

Remove dry leaves and pine needles from decks, roofs and gutters.

Thin and prune trees and shrubs located close to buildings and remove the clippings. Don’t let grass or weeds grow higher than six inches tall.

Replace combustible landscaping with non-flammable materials. Use gravel mulch, rock or other hard-scaping material instead of bark.

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Create defensible space around buildings

Clear anything that burns easily from a space five feet or wider around your house.

Remove shrubs, stacked wood and wood fencing, benches and arbors ― especially near windows.

Cut back tree branches that hang over roofs or near a chimney.

Replace worn fixtures, signage

Replace roofs, eaves, chimney screens, foundation vents, decks and anything not in good condition. “Screens should be 1/8-inch or smaller metal mesh; 1/16-inch mesh is best,” Waite said.

House numbers help firefighters spot your address in an emergency, so opt for reflective and easy-to-see numbers in non-combustible materials.

Unclutter your driveway

Remove clutter from your driveway and make sure it’s wide enough for fire engines and other emergency vehicles to use.

Cut away any low-hanging tree branches from over the driveway.

Make sure gates opens inward and are wide enough for emergency vehicles to pass through. Check your local fire codes for exact dimensions.

Check smoke alarms, fire extinguishers

Test smoke detectors to make sure they work and their batteries are fresh.

Know how to use and maintain fire extinguishers. Keep them in quick reach in places fires often start, like kitchens. See the OES' fire extinguisher website at news.caloes.ca.gov/how-and-when-to-use-a-fire-extinguisher .

Make an exit plan

Create an emergency plan, including escape routes and where family members will gather outside if fire strikes.

Keep escape routes clutter free so people can leave quickly without tripping.

Pack an emergency bag with a phone list, first aid kit, pet supplies, cash, medications, extra car and house keys, three days’ worth of water and non-perishable food and other items.

For comprehensive packing lists and evacuation planning information, see Cal Fire's preparation guide at fire.ca.gov/prepare .

To sign up for the new AlertShasta emergency alert system that went into effect May 1, residents can go to SHASCOM'S website, https://www.shascom911.com/ to register for the new system. Smartphone users can register using a QR code on the SHASCOM website .

Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook . Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Wildfire season is approaching. Here's how to prepare your home and yard