It’s wildfire season in Utah, is your home ready?

SALT LAKE CITY  — With wildfire season in full swing, protecting your home is essential. Wildfires can break out wherever there is fuel to feed them, making it imperative that you prepare your home and neighborhood.

Once they start, wildfires can increase in size with the help of dead leaves, downed trees, dead branches and tall grass.  

Those should all be removed, especially from around your home’s perimeter, said  North Tooele Fire District Public Information Officer Jon Smith.

It’s also important to remove highly dangerous materials if you have them stored near your home.

“Are you keeping propane tanks near the garage, are you keeping your barbeque up next to the house? If you’re doing these kinds of things, maybe this time of year spread them out just a little bit. Keep them away from the structure of your home,” Smith said.

Connect with your local fire department

Smith says staying informed and following your nearest fire department on social media is a good idea.

Reverse 911 calls will notify you of any fires in your area, and whether you need to evacuate.

And to save yourself time in case of an emergency, Smith recommended keeping a bag with essentials nearby. These may include medication and important documents in the case of an evacuation.

Other suggested reading:

• Utah sees busy start to 2024 wildfire season, draws comparison to record-breaking year
• Northern Utah to implement fire restrictions
• Fourth of July is this week and Utah’s firefighters are getting ready