Wildfire Protection Can Start at Home | SERVPRO® of Northwest Bergen

7/23/2021 (Permalink)

If your home is damaged by fire or any other reason, SERVPRO of Northwest Bergen is ready and able to repair any damage.

One of the most unsettling thoughts for homeowners is the idea of seeing one’s home devoured by a raging wildfire. And while it’s true that most home fires in our area are from other root causes, wildfires are not as rare in New Jersey as you imagine.

But you can take action to make your home less likely to fall prey to wildfire, in addition to the oft-ignored practice of simply being careful, which is the top potential method of prevention.

One of those things is known as “defensible space.”

What Is Defensible Space?

It has nothing to do with stopping invaders from Jupiter. “Defensible space” is the practice of creating safe zones around your property that make it difficult for fire to close in on you. You can slow or stop the spread of a fire with the right mix of intentional pruning and tree spacing, gravel and inorganic material around the immediate perimeter of the house, and removal of dry fuel sources like dead trees or brush.

Think of defensible space as a way of choking a fire out before it reaches your home. If there’s nothing to feed the fire, it has to slow down and stop moving.

Defensible space also gives fire crews their best chance of stopping a wildfire before it gets to your house by giving them adequate space in which to work.

Why Defensible Space Matters

While western states are more prone to wildfires because of their drier climates, wildfires can and do occur all over the country. In fact, there were over 59,000 wildfires nationwide in 2020.

Even without the 10,000+ fires in California in the mix, there was still an average of almost 1,000 fires per state in 2020, and no state was totally spared. New Jersey experienced almost 2,000 wildfires and saw almost 12,000 acres of land burn last year. That’s more than 18 square miles!

And 2021 is shaping up for more of the same—there has actually been a 25% increase in the number of fires so far nationwide.

The truth is that anything that can be done to slow or stop wildfires needs to be done, and while defensible space isn’t required by law in New Jersey as it is in some states, you should consider it as a way to protect your home from potential danger.

SERVPRO of Northwest Bergen is a premier fire restoration company located in Bergen County. We have trained Service Technicians on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help you in case of an emergency. Visit Fire Damage Services to learn more.

If your home is damaged by fire of any sort, wild or not, SERVPRO is ready and able to repair the damage caused. Get in touch today to get the pros on your team.