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Main story: How to protect your property from wildfires save your home wildfire, s h Most of Texas is under a burn ban, and many areas of Texas that typically are not susceptible to wildfires are under threat now. This story will tell people what to do to keep their property safe. A wildfire burns through your neck of the woods. Your house is still standing, but your neighbor’s house is charred rubble. Why? It’s all about taking precautions, said
According to the Texas Forest Service, 90 percent of all wildfires in Texas are caused by people, most often the result of carelessly burning debris. In August, 153 counties in Texas were under a burn ban due to widespread drought and extreme summer temperatures – two dangerous triggers for wildfires. The National Fire Prevention Agency’s Wildfire Division offers several prevention tips, applicable no matter where you live or how susceptible you believe your property is to wildfires. 1. Fireproof your roof: Select a fire-resistant roofing material like tile, steel and asphalt shingles, and good insulation. Focus on siding material, too, opting for stucco and fiber cement, all with a low- or non-flammable underlayer. Inspect your roof and siding regularly and repair cracks and missing or damaged areas. Routinely clear your roof, eaves and gutters of leaves and debris.
Jeremy Hardwick, Germania catastrophe claims manager, who has worked in the aftermath of wildfires in California and Texas for 15 years. “The goal is to limit the fire’s ability to turn your home into a fuel source. There are a number of strategies to do that, and I have seen firsthand that they work in reducing extreme damage,” Hardwick said. “In many cases, you can see one house still standing because they planned ahead, and the house next to it in ashes because they didn’t.” This summer, with its extreme temperatures as a heat wave settled over the continent, has been an active one for wildfires. Texas is second only to California as the most dangerous state for wildfires.
4 | GERMANIA TODAY
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