CAL FIRE explains the importance of keeping defensible space around your home during fire season

PAICINES, Calif. (KION) - Fire officials say all of us can play a role in reducing wildfires. It all starts at home. But if you don't know how to fireproof your home, you're not alone.

"When you get winds blowing like this and it gets over 100 degrees, you kind of keep your eyes open for fires," said Dennis Williams.

Williams watched bright red flames burn just miles from his home on Tuesday.

"I watched it start down there and within about ten minutes, it passes over here, coming up that mountain on the backside of that there," said Williams.

Living in an area surrounded by dry grass, he makes sure he and his neighbors have safe, fireproof homes.

"There's a lot of elderly folks out here too, and that's where a lot of the people go and try to help them out. They can't do that kind of stuff on their own," said Williams.

But not everyone knows how to fireproof their home.

According to a survey from the Fire Protection Research Foundation, only half of homeowners and renters know how to reduce wildfire risk to their homes. A statistic Josh Silveira with CAL FIRE didn't see coming.

"It's a shocking statistic to hear. And it's something that, as an agency, I'll take back, do a better job at--making sure that the word is out and those resources are readily available," said Silveira.

The survey also shows only 43% of people know where to find prevention resources.

With a heat wave in many parts of the central coast, keeping a defensible space around your home is a way you can play a role in reducing wildfires.

"If we have homeowners doing their part and making it easy for us to come in and defend their homes, it allows us to be more aggressive in containing the fire itself. It gives us the best fighting chance to make sure [to save] as many homes," said Silveira.

Williams tells me what steps he takes so others can do the same.

"That hayfield up there is going to get just here very shortly. But most of the ground you see around here is all dressed up and row crop. So we're kind of sitting in an oasis, you might say clear out a defensible space around your homes, especially when you live up in a hillside like that with all the brush and trees around there. That's just, I like to say, common sense," said Williams.

Silviera says he estimates the airline fire will be 100% contained in just a few days.

He says it's been busier than usual in terms of fire so far this year, so they do anticipate more fires…
For more in-depth details on ways to keep your home fireproof, visit readyforwildfire.org.