The Fire Smart Home Handbook: Preparing for and Surviving the Threat of Wildfire

Keeping one’s nostrils hydrated may not be top of mind should wildfire strike the property, but no threat is left untouched in this handbook worthy of a firefighters academy library. Wildfires obviously aren’t a threat to the entire population, but as Soles, a frequent contributor to outdoor magazines and a wildfire evacuee himself, notes, the number of acres burned has increased from two million in 1992 to almost seven million in 2012. Wildfire mitigation is discussed at length, with heavy emphasis on trimming, sawing, and clearing property of highly flammable foes, from tree stumps to wood fences or firewood stacked against the side of a home. Directions are included for making a driveway allowing turnaround for large fire trucks, building a fire bunker, gathering tools for elimination of brush, and using goats in vegetation management. (Yes, you can actually rent a herd of goats.) Insurance and FEMA claims also are covered. While not everyone has to worry about wildfire, some of this advice applies to fire preparedness in most any home. (Apr.)