Complete Home Wildfire Defense Guide

Understanding Your Wildfire Risk

Picture this: You're sitting on your back deck, enjoying a peaceful summer evening, when you notice a faint orange glow on the distant hillside. Within hours, that small spark transforms into a roaring wall of flames racing toward your neighborhood. This scenario isn't just dramatic storytelling—it's the reality that thousands of families face each year as wildfires become increasingly common across the United States.

Understanding your wildfire risk starts with grasping just how fast and unpredictable these fires can be. Under the right conditions—strong winds and dry vegetation—wildfires can move faster than most people can run [2]. That's why advance preparation matters so much. The speed at which a wildfire moves depends on several factors: wind velocity, the type of vegetation serving as fuel, the terrain's slope, and how dry the landscape has become. A fire racing uphill can double its speed. Strong winds can send embers flying up to a mile ahead of the main fire front, igniting new spot fires that create even more chaos.

Here's something that might surprise you: the vast majority of wildfires in the US are caused by humans [2]. We're not just talking about careless campfires, though those certainly contribute. Discarded cigarettes, sparks from equipment, power lines touching dry vegetation, and even something as simple as parking a hot vehicle over dry grass can ignite a devastating blaze. This human element means that wildfire season isn't just determined by weather anymore—it's year-round in many areas.