Wildfire Facts and Safety Tips

9/15/2017 (Permalink)

The trusted professionals at SERVPRO of Sarpy County hope you have a safe and happy fall season

National Geographic shares, “On average, more than 100,000 wildfires, clear 4 to 5 million acres of land in the U.S. every year. In recent years, wildfires have burned up to 9 million acres of land.”

As of September 10, 2017, the National Interagency Fire Center (nifc) reported 47,981 wildland fires responsible for burning over 8 million acres of land. The same time period last year claimed 42,280 fires burning 4,745,957 acres of land.

In 2008, 29 states had more than 10,000 acres scorched by wildfires as a total of 5.2 million acres burned across the country. Though thousands of wildfires are started every year by natural causes – such as lightning strikes – many more are man-made disasters. It is reported that four out of five wildfires are started by human error. Because they tend to occur in more populated areas, man-made wildfires can be more dangerous than natural fires. Though we may never be able to fully eliminate wildfires, steps are available that we can take to help lessen the danger of damage to our homes and businesses. SERVPRO® of Sarpy County / Omaha Southwest encourages you to follow these safety tips:

• Remove debris from under decks and insides gutters.
• Replace highly flammable vegetation such as pine, eucalyptus, junipers and fir trees with lower growing, les flammable species. Check with your local garden store or fire department for suggestions.
• When camping, take care when using and fueling lanterns, stoves, and heaters. Make sure lighting and heating devices are cool before refueling. Avoid spilling flammable liquids and store fuel away from appliances.
• Always build fires away from nearby trees or shrubs.
• Do not discard cigarettes, matches, or smoking materials from moving vehicles, or anywhere on park grounds. Be certain to completely extinguish cigarettes before disposing of them.
• Follow local ordinances when burning yard waste. Avoid backyard burning in windy conditions, and keep a shovel, water, and fire retardant nearby to keep fires in check. Remove all flammables from yard when burning.
• Create a 30-foot safety zone around the house or business, clearing all flammable and combustible objects.

If you have questions or need help, please call us 24x7 at 402-291-3355