As wildfires become more frequent and intense throughout the West, Salt Lake City Fire Department is taking action to help our residents prepare and protect. One of the most effective tools we have is prevention, and that starts right at your front door.
The Salt Lake City Fire Department offers free Home Wildfire Assessments to help residents in wildfire-prone areas identify risks and take steps to reduce them. Our firefighters will walk your property, review the condition of vegetation, fencing, roof and vent design, emergency access, and more. After the visit, you’ll receive a tailored action plan to make your home more defensible and fire resilient.
You can do much of the assessment yourself and make a big impact with a few proactive steps. Here’s what you can do right now to help harden your home.
Create Defensible Space
Start with the first 30 feet around your home. This is your “Lean, Clean, and Green” zone:
Remove dead vegetation, leaves, and pine needles from your yard, roof, gutters, and decks.
Keep grass mowed to 4 inches or less.
Trim tree branches so they are at least 10 feet from structures, other trees and ground fuels.
Store firewood, propane tanks, and other combustibles at least 30 feet from the home.
Harden Your Home
Roof and Vents: Use fire-rated roofing and cover vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh to block embers.
Attic and Eave Vents: Should be baffled or have other protection – mesh is not adequate.
Windows: Use dual-pane or tempered glass windows when possible.
Fences and Decks: Choose non-combustible materials or enclose decks with fire resistant materials.
Plan Ahead
Make sure your address is clearly visible for emergency responders.
Prepare an emergency go-kit with essentials and keep it accessible.
Know multiple ways out of your neighborhood in case of evacuation.
These are just a few of the tips you’ll find in our Ready, Set, Go! Guide, available for download. It includes steps to take before fire season, when a fire is approaching, and when it’s time to evacuate.
Whether you choose to schedule a free wildfire assessment or take action on your own, we encourage every resident, especially areas like The Jordan River Parkway, Capitol Hill, the Avenues, and the East Bench, to get ready now.
Our mission is to protect life, property, and the environment; we can’t do it without you. Together, we can build a more fire-adapted and resilient Salt Lake City.
Sincerely,
Karl Lieb
Pet Preparedness Month
According to FEMA, June is Pet Preparedness Month. Being prepared means making sure your pets are safe too. Pet needs should be included in you 96-hour kits and family emergency plans. Here are some basic steps to help you protect your pets in an emergency:
Make sure your pet is up to date on vaccinations and include their records with your important documents.
Get your pet microchipped and add a photo of you with your pet to your kit to help with identification.
Have a plan for how you will transport your pet during an emergency.
For more information on pet preparedness, visit ready.gov/pets.
June 3rd: Virtual Naloxone Training with Utah Naloxone June 24th: Virtual Naloxone Training with Utah Naloxone August 21st to October 2nd: Clase de CERT en Español (Spanish CERT) September 10th: Stop the Bleed (Bleeding Control Training) October 6th: Push to Survive CPR October 7th to November 18th: English CERT
Be sure to follow @BeReadySLC on Instagram, Facebook, and X for more preparedness tips.
