Here are some of the precautions you can take to protect your home from wildfire.

Summer is wildfire season and, if you live in an area prone to fire, then you know just how devastating these disasters can be. Luckily, there are steps that you can take to reduce your home's risk for fire damage. Here are some of the wildfire precautions you should take this summer.

• Prepare Your Roof

Embers from a nearby wildfire can land on your roof, starting a blaze that can quickly consume the entire home. You can prevent this from happening to your home by making sure that your roof is made of nonflammable materials. For instance, you should get shingles made out of asphalt, metal, slate, or tile for the most protection. If your roof is made of the traditional wooden shingles, you might be placing your home at risk this wildfire season.

• Create Defensible Space

Defensible space refers to a buffer zone that separates your home from flammable landscaping and woodland areas. Creating adequate defensible space around your home can help prevent a wildfire from spreading to the actual structure of your home. To create defensible space, remove all flammable items (such as dead plants, dry brush, wood piles, etc.) within a 30-foot radius around your home.

• Keep Embers Out

Your home is filled with countless flammable items and, should an ember from a nearby fire make contact with one of these items, your home could easily catch fire. To keep dangerous embers outside of your home, cover any exterior vents with 1/8-inch thick hardware cloth. If you have a doggy door, you might want to consider locking it until fire season is over. Finally, keep your home's windows and doors closed if there is a fire in striking distance. These are some of the precautions that you should take to protect your home from wildfire this season. Want another way to protect your home? Then make sure you have the proper homeowners insurance protections in place. To find the right policies to meet your needs, contact the experts at Weeks & Associates Insurance Services in Thousand Oaks, California. We are ready to get you the coverage that you need today.