Consider the wildfire that burned last summer in La Ca?adaFlintridge, a suburb just 12 miles north of downtown Los Angeles.Leaving some 1,500 acres devastated in its wake, the fire wreakedhavoc in this quaint community nestled in the foothills of the SanGabriel mountains. Gilda Terry, vice president with MomentousInsurance Brokerage in Los Angeles, remembers receiving calls fromtwo of her two clients who were living in this neighborhood:

“They had been ordered to evacuate, yet they were leaving withthe fear of what would be left of their homes once they wereallowed to return,” Terry said.

In this case, Terry had insured her clients through a carrierthat provides its policyholders with wildfire protection services–aprivate company staffed by professionals trained in wildfireeducation, prevention and suppression services.

Terry explains that she called the insurer who, within 30minutes, had dispatched its service to the scene to sprayprotective gel on her clients' homes.

“I know firsthand that these services can work, and my clients'homes were saved because of their defensive effort,” Terrysaid.

But the protective gel is a last resort. It's not a guaranteeand certainly not a substitute for homeowners taking preventativesteps to help protect their homes from the dangers ofwildfires.

Some homeowners may be reluctant to sign up for wildfire defenseservice, using rationalizations such as “Wildfire is not anexposure in my area,” “It won't happen to me,” “The fire departmentwill save my house,” and “That's why I have insurance.”

However, wildfires destroy some 5 million acres every year inthe U.S. And according to the National Wildlife Federation, currentfire seasons are 78 days longer on average than they were just 20years ago. In addition, the average timespan of an individual fireis 30 days longer than those before 1986.

The reality is that there are not enough resources to protectevery home from wildfires, especially in the regions that are moreprone to them. Even the most professional and well-trainedfirefighters lack the resources to protect every home. Instead,they have to conduct triage and determine where to allocateresources. That's why homeowners should take steps to reduce thethreat of losing their home to wildfires–or worse, losing theirlives and the lives of their family. Here's how, as an agent orbroker, you can help your clients mitigate the threat ofwildfires.

Steps homeowners can take

Many people purchase a primary or vacation home inwildfire-prone areas because of the natural beauty. It is preciselythat rural, rugged beauty that creates risk. Helping to protect thehome begins with being well prepared.

Because evacuations occur without much notice, the first step isto encourage your clients to pre-plan. Several firefightingorganizations recommend that homeowners take the time before awildfire begins to make a family evacuation plan–knowing where onewill go and how one will get there. If possible, homeowners shouldhave two escape routes out of the home and neighborhood, as well asa plan for pets. When wildfire conditions exist, families in highhazard areas need to be alert. Post the local fire departmentnumber near the phone or pre-program it into a cell phone.

Wildfires burn quickly through thick vegetation like trees andbrush, creating ember storms, a swirling mass of red-hot,wind-blown embers that can land up to several miles away and findadditional fuel–such as wooden shakes on a roof or dead leavesunder a deck–to start additional fires.

Homeowners should eliminate the fuel on their properties. Forexample, removing the brush and cleaning out the leaves from thegutters or under the deck can help.

Contemplating the threat of fire when designing a landscape alsocan make a real difference in protecting residences. It starts withmaintaining an adequately watered defensible space around thehouse–at least 100 feet of space on level ground and 200 feet onsloped terrain. Defensible space provides room for firefighters towork while extinguishing the flames.

Additionally, homes should have easy access in case firefightersneed to get on the property. Long driveways should have turnaroundareas suitable for large equipment. Homeowners should make sure alldriveways are cleared of flammable vegetation–10 feet on bothsides–and free of overhanging obstructions to a height of 15 feet.The house address should be easily visible from the street, soemergency crews can find the fire.

Here are other tips to help homeowners protect their homes fromwildfires:

1. Prune shrubs and cut back tree branches,especially within 15 feet of the chimney. Remove dead leaves, drygrass and firewood.
2. Screen all exterior vent openings andunder-floor vents with one-quarter inch or smaller non-corrosivemetal mesh. This protective measure keeps embers from getting intothe attic or the interior of home. Enclose the eaves on the house,because they can trap the heat rising along the siding.
3. Put valuable paper documents in afire-resistant safe or in an off-premise location.
4. Install smoke detectors and fireextinguishers throughout the home.

Other protective measures

Gilda Terry can tell you, some insurance carriers contract withwildfire defense businesses to help provide a full spectrum ofwildfire protection systems which can include emergency fuelmitigation, zone sprinkler system setup, fuel break preparation,and fire-blocking gel application. These firms also providewildfire education to promote the latest guidelines established bythe Federal Firewise Program and similar state programs.

Wildfire defense services are not considered first responders inthe event of a wildfire. Instead, they work closely with incidentcommand in support of local, state and federal firefighters. Thistype of service is free to clients and often enables insurancecompanies to provide extended replacement cost coverage in which,subject to certain conditions and limitations, the insurancecompany will pay the reconstruction cost in the event of a coveredloss, even if such cost is greater than the amount of coverage forthe home.

It's important to note that the first step in protecting a homeis to properly assess its value through a professional appraiser.These individuals, who have backgrounds in construction,architecture and design, are knowledgeable about local buildingcosts and calculate the home's replacement cost based on the actualmaterials and craftsmanship used. They also photograph the home andits features and create a more accurate appraisal that can be usedto recreate the home after a devastating loss.

Homeowners need to take proper precautions in preparing andmaintaining their residences during wildfire season. A firedepartment cannot be at every home, so owners need to prepare inorder to avoid as much tragedy and loss as possible. Wildfiredefense services supplement the local fire agency, and agents andbrokers can check with carriers to see which provide thisadditional, no-cost loss control support to their homeownerclients.

Are you providing wildfire loss prevention advice to yourcustomers? Gilda Terry does, and her La Ca?ada Flintridge clientswill be forever grateful.