In case you haven't noticed, the Fire Departments are no longer up to the jobs of saving thousands of homes. 30 years ago we protected our own homes and our neighbors'. Now we "evacuate" (READ:"Run like frightened sheep")
If the cops find you home you WILL be evacuated. If they don't KNOW you're home, you probably won't be.
(Mad Dog at MySpace) spent 14 year fighting fire and NEVER saw a home protected by the homeowner lost to a fire as long as water was available. That includes neighborhoods we pulled into with shake shingle roofs where an entire block would be burning....except one house......the one with the own with the 3/4 inch garden hose
Dress for the job: boots, cotton jeans, cotton long sleeve shirt, gloves, helmet goggles and bandanna.
Leave yourself an out! Keys in the car and the door unlocked. The center of a paved street or a road cut with high banks give good shelter if you need to evacuate. Even if your house is caught in a burn over, you can go inside until the flames front passes, then go back out. Don't EVER get out into the unburned brush/grass EVER!!! And don't get caught with a wall of flames at your back. Go to the inside of the house or the other side of the house until the flames pass then do your work.
Rancho Bernardo had 250,000 people evacuated and lost hundreds of homes. Think how much firefighting 250,000 people could have done even if just armed with shovels and garden hoses...heck even just throwing that many BEERS at a fire!.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER panic!
For the first 200 years most of this nation didn't have paid fire departments. IT was all volunteers and many rural places still are. YOU can make the difference of whether or not you have a home tomorrow.
ONE CAVEAT: IF you don't have your 100 ft. clearances, are tight up against the brush or have shake shingles, good luck!!!! You'd best start clearing brush or packing bags.
If you're prone to panic and doing stupid stuff, like running mindlessly in small circles screaming, same story. Pack and go!
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