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It only takes 7 minutes to get started.

Gutter cleaning is one of the basic lessons in Homeowner 101. Letting leaves collect in your gutters defeats the purpose of gutters; a clogged gutter can’t collect and move water.

But the lesson doesn’t end there. Once gutter leaves dry out, they become an open invitation to embers thrown off by an active wildfire—even if the fire is burning 5 miles away.

Which brings us to our next lesson: Home Hardening 101.

To keep embers out, keep leaves out.

One of the simplest steps in hardening your home against wildfire is keeping your gutters clean. The best way to maintain clean gutters is to install gutter guards designed to allow water in but keep leaves out. Just be sure your gutter guards are made of metal or another non-meltable material.

Pro Tip: Smaller leaves can still collect in gutter guard water slots, so be sure to clear those out regularly.

To get leaves out, pull them out.

If gutter guards aren’t for you, no problem. Cleaning gutters is a quick and easy job, especially if you keep up with it on a regular basis.

Check out this gutter-cleaning video. We sped it up because…well…watching a guy clean his gutters isn’t that exciting. But the entire job shown in this 20-second timelapse was accomplished in about 7 minutes. As you’ll see, it was incredibly easy.

Here are a few tips for getting the job done:

• Be careful on the ladder. Have someone stabilize it for you. Even the young and in shape can accidentally lose footing or kick a ladder out of position.

• Using a tool makes the job easier. If you have a spatula you’re willing to retire from its cooking responsibilities, it makes a great gutter-cleaning tool.

• Explore specialized gear. If you like gadgets, there are plenty of gutter-cleaning devices on the market (many of which, it so happens, resemble spatulas).

Whether you scoop leaves out of your gutters by hand, spatula them out, or use a nifty tool from the hardware store, please make sure you get up there and clear your gutters regularly. At the very least, you should inspect and clean gutters twice a year, in spring and fall, but you can’t go wrong with a quarterly check just to be on the safe side. We’re sure you have 7 minutes to spare!

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P.S. Still not motivated to get gutter cleaning? Consider this: A clogged gutter in rainy season means water accumulates with nowhere to go. If it can’t release, it will eventually seep into your roof, causing thousands of dollars of damage. 😬

Don’t rely on a single alarm to protect an entire house.

Home smoke alarms may not sound like essential equipment for wildfires, but they’re just as important then as they are for letting you know about a kitchen fire.

Smoke from a wildfire can reach your home long before any flames or embers reach your defensible space, so properly functioning smoke alarms are critical as an early warning system. They’re also required by the building codes here in California.

Why? Because according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), about 3 out of 5 fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. And while wildfire smoke can indeed seep in from outside, the most important reason for having reliable smoke alarms is the possibility of accidental fires inside the home.

Check out these answers to common questions about smoke alarms.

How many smoke alarms do I need?

California Building Code requires homeowners to install a smoke alarm in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home, including the basement. Wherever your family members are, they’ll know when it’s time to get their Go Bags and put your fire emergency plan into action.

How often should I change my smoke alarm batteries?

NFPA recommends changing smoke alarm batteries every six months to ensure they’re always fresh.

If your California home was built after August of 1992, it’s likely your builder installed hardwired smoke detectors, which are 11% more likely to sound during a fire than battery-only alarms. The best combination is a hardwired alarm with a battery back-up to take over during a power loss.

How often should I check my smoke alarms?

Run the test function on each smoke detector at least once a month. All it takes is the push of a button.

Do I need a smoke alarm outside?

Home smoke detectors aren’t designed to be used outside. They’re not loud enough to hear over the ambient noise outdoors. Plus, home smoke alarms react to a build-up of smoke around their sensors, and conditions outdoors make such build-up close to impossible unless considerable smoke has reached your property. By then, you’d already be well aware of an approaching fire.

My hearing isn’t great. What sort of alarms should I get?

If anyone in your household is hearing impaired, it’s important to invest in smoke alarms with strong, built-in strobe lights to catch the attention of anyone who can’t hear the alarm.

Anything else I need to know?

It’s important to keep in mind the safety responsibilities of living in the beautiful county we call home. We live side-by-side with nature; treating it with respect is key.

And even though Be Ready, Butte! is largely focused on wildfire preparedness, don’t neglect the basics of home fire safety, such as maintaining smoke alarms, knowing how to use fire extinguishers, and keeping an inventory of possessions should they be lost to a fire.

Thanks for being a fire-conscious member of our Butte County community!

Help save lives by sharing important information.

A staggering 95%-97% of California wildfires are caused by people.

Fortunately, fire-smart people like you can change those numbers for the better. It’s up to each of us to spread the word about defensible space and prevention practices so our communities are better protected against wildfire.

Our challenge to you: add wildfire preparation advocacy to your New Year’s resolutions.

Be the hero your community needs

Here are a few ways to lead by example in the new year when it comes to wildfire preparation:

• Get burn permits when appropriate and be smart about burning debris on your property. Tell your neighbors where to get their own permits.
• Don’t leave campfires unattended or smoldering.
• Secure the chains on your trailer hitch—letting them drag causes dangerous sparks.
• Don’t throw cigarettes out the window of your car or home (or make “quit smoking” your other New Year’s resolution!).
• Cut down your dead trees to reduce wildfire fuel.
• Maintain and clear your defensible space.
• Consider alternatives to flammable New Year’s fireworks.
• Don’t leave candles burning unattended.
• Exercise caution with tools like mowers and chainsaws that generate heat and sparks.

Build a wildfire preparation reputation

This last one may be the most difficult wildfire preparation resolution of all: talk to people about fire safety. Don’t assume everyone reads Be Ready, Butte! like you! And don’t give up if your neighbors are resistant at first—you’re making a difference, whether you realize it or not. It takes a village to protect our communities, and it starts with each of us.

Here’s a simple equation: Dead Tree + Defensible Space = Danger.

You could have dead and dying branches and trees on your property just waiting for an ember to come along and ignite them. And the only way to deal with those trees is to remove them.

Clear away flammable dead trees during cooler weather.

Fall and winter—when temperatures are cooler, the ground is less dry, and fire risks are generally lower—are great times to make defensible space improvements. Specifically, removing dead trees and branches and pruning healthy ones. Doing it in cooler weather means the sparks from your saw are less likely to ignite. And let’s face it—nobody wants to haul dead wood in the middle of the summer heat.

Dead trees hide in plain sight.

Dead and partially dead trees in your defensible space are an open invitation to destructive heat and embers in the event of a fire. Don’t think you have any dead trees in your defensible space? Take a closer look—you may be surprised. A combination of drought and bark beetles killed 36 million California trees in 2023 alone, leaving tons of dry fuel for wildfires to feed on. Even without drought, bark beetles can do significant damage.

Do you need a permit for tree removal?

In Butte County, if a tree is dead, dying, or diseased, you don’t need a permit to remove it. Go ahead and clear your dead tree defensible space. If you can have professionals remove your trees, please do. They have the equipment and expertise (plus insurance) to get the job done thoroughly and safely.

If you’re going to do it yourself, remember dead and dry trees are unstable. Wear a hard hat, gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, chaps, and steel-toed boots. You should also consider renting a chainsaw with a spark arrester, being sure to follow any safety instructions closely. But when it comes to removing the tree stump, it’s recommended you let the pros do it. Stump removal is a very demanding process that needs to be done carefully.

Pruning is essential.

Aside from lopping off dead and dying branches, keep in mind healthy trees occasionally require pruning to keep them a safe distance off the ground, from your home, and from other growth.

It’s a great time for planting, too.

The moist soil and cool temperatures of fall and winter are also ideal for strengthening defensible space with plantings. The key here is to select native, locally-sourced plants and trees evolved to tolerate local rainfall cycles, fire cycles, and drought conditions. And as we’ve discussed before, make sure your plant spacing is done within fire-safe guidelines. Healthy, hearty plants and trees help to discourage bark beetles by cutting off their supply of dead, dry wood.

There are other things you can do to stay fire-safe in cooler weather, too. Keeping fire-aware all year long is a great way to be sure you’re always getting ready to be ready.

Here’s how to leave quickly if wildfire comes

Creating defensible space, hardening your home, and prepping Go Bags are all important. But in the end, getting ready to be ready means being ready to roll when an evacuation order is issued.

When an evacuation is called, it’s time to put your wildfire action plan into effect and clear the way for firefighters to get to work.

When should you act?

When and how to act depends on what information you’re getting from Butte County evacuation authorities for your evacuation zone. There are two levels of evacuation emergency:

• Evacuation Warnings: During an evacuation warning you’ll be told your Zone might need to evacuate and be on high alert. Get everyone in your family together, have your Go Bags packed, ensure your animals are close by, your pet carriers and livestock trailers are ready, and you’re ready to leave on a moment’s notice.

• Evacuation Orders: When an evacuation order is issued for your Zone, leave your home immediately and get to safety. At this point, there’s no more time to get ready. It’s time to be ready and put your wildfire action plan into action.

Planning early for evacuation

Evacuating involves more than simply moving in the opposite direction of an oncoming fire. It’s a process requiring a series of preparations and in-the-moment actions allowing the evacuation to happen efficiently:

• Go to our Butte County Evacuation Plans by Community page.
• Download and print the Evacuation Plan and Evacuation Map for your community.
• Fill out the “Our household safety plan” section of the Evacuation Plan.
• Make sure every adult and child old enough to understand has a copy of the Evacuation Plan.
• Review the plan regularly as a family to be sure you all understand it in the same way.

Your plan leads to your evacuation route.

You may drive in and out of your community twelve times a day, but your normal route may not be the best option for evacuating during a fire. To prepare for an emergency event, you should be prepared to do things differently than your normal driving or transportation routines:

• Study and memorize the Butte County Evacuation Map for your community.
• Drive the evacuation route(s) on a regular basis so you’re familiar with it.
• Take the time to practice walking and biking the route as well, since conditions during an actual fire may render driving impossible.
• Don’t assume you’ll be able to rely on GPS for your evacuation routes—internet and cellular service may be unavailable during an emergency.

Evacuation: Traveling requires packing.

In addition to having your Evacuation Plan memorized, have a Go Bag of essentials prepared for each person and pet in your household. It may be a while before you can return to your home. Be sure there’s a copy of your Evacuation Plan and Evacuation Map in each Go Bag (yes, even in the pet bags—you never know which one you’ll grab in a hurry).

Important: Resist the urge to pack extra and unnecessary things when it’s time to evacuate. Make sure your Go Bags have been thoroughly packed only with necessities and important personal items, and forget about grabbing anything else.

Evacuation requires flexibility and cooperation.

Once on your Butte County evacuation route, be prepared for authorities monitoring the evacuation to adjust and coordinate the flow of traffic to compensate for congestion and/or changes to road conditions due to smoke, falling trees, etc. Follow their directions—even if they tell you to drive in a way that would get you a ticket under normal circumstances, such as driving on the shoulder.

Review and practice your wildfire evacuation plan on a regular basis, so there’s no confusion when it’s time to act. If you have young children, we strongly recommend watching this video about the importance of sticking to the family plan.

Stay safe, Butte County.

Real fires aren’t TV fires. You really need to know what you’re doing.

If a stove or oven fire happens, or a space heater gets too close to curtains, or an electrical fire ignites because of an overloaded outlet (please, don’t overload outlets), having a fire extinguisher handy can prevent the loss of your home. Get yourself a good multipurpose fire extinguisher and learn to use it properly.

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher: Take a PASS at It

If you think you know how to use a fire extinguisher because you’ve seen it done on TV… you do not know how to use a fire extinguisher. Using one isn’t difficult, but when your adrenaline is pumping during a fire emergency, even the simplest information can be hard to recall.

Keep the word “PASS” in mind for an easy, effective way to remember what to do. You can even write it on a note near your fire extinguisher.

P = Pull the pin at the top of the fire extinguisher.
A = Aim the extinguisher nozzle at the base of the fire.
S = Squeeze the operating handle.
S = Sweep from side to side to extinguish the flame.

A Fire Extinguisher Isn’t a Fire Department

Remember: fire extinguishers are only intended for small fire situations, such as cooking fires, upholstery fires, or small electrical fires. Don’t try to take on a growing house fire with a fire extinguisher. Call 9-1-1 immediately.

But to keep small fires from becoming big fires, make sure everyone in your family who’s old enough for the responsibility knows how to use a fire extinguisher. Check out this video for a great overview of the basics. It’s made for kids but to be honest, everyone at Be Ready, Butte! enjoyed getting a simple refresher.

The five feet around your house should stop embers in their tracks

It’s warming up in Butte County! We’re sure the first thing on your mind isn’t maintaining your defensible space, but this is really a prime time for thinking about it. It’s hot and dry out there, and if something were to trigger a wildfire, we all want to have the best chance at keeping it from spreading.

Traveling embers are a dangerous source of ignition during a fire, so let’s focus on the defensible space’s “ember-resistant” Zone 0, just outside your house. In this kind of weather, working in the shade of your house is a little easier than being out in the middle of your landscaping!

Where is Zone 0 of defensible space located?

Whatever the footprint of your house, Zone 0 is the first five feet around it, including the space under and around any attached decks and porches. Scientific study show Zone 0 is the most important of the defensible space zones. Keeping this area clear is designed to prevent airborne embers from igniting close to your house.

What does Zone 0 look like?

To borrow a phrase from Seinfeld, Zone 0 “is about nothing.” There should be absolutely nothing flammable within the first five feet of your home: no plantings, no grass, no wood, no cute woven grass mat for your shoes, no paper lanterns…nothing. The goal: if an ember falls in Zone 0, it shouldn’t find anything it can set on fire.

How to keep it clear:

• Fill Zone 0 with hardscape: gravel, pavers, concrete, other decorative stone 
• Remove all vegetation from the zone: dead and dying weeds, grass, plants, shrubs, trees, branches, leaves, needles, cones, bark (keep the Seinfeld “nothing” rule in mind)
• Firewood next to the house is a big no-no for Zone 0; move it to Zone 2
• Replace attached flammable fencing, gates, and arbors with noncombustible versions
• Keep combustible furniture, planters, and other items to a minimum on any attached decks and porches
• Move trash and recycling bins away from Zone Zero
• Consider moving boats, RVs, vehicles, and other combustible items outside this 5-foot perimeter

While you’re at it, check your roofs, gutters, decks, porches, stairways, and any other place debris can collect. There should also be no branches within 10 feet of a chimney or stovepipe outlet.

Once your Zone 0 is established, keeping it debris-free is key to maintaining your property’s ember-resistance capability. For a fun and family-friendly look at the importance of Zone 0 and all the defensible space zones, check out our videos featuring Max DSI, your friendly Defensible Space Inspector!

P.S. Hopefully, earlier this year when it was cooler, you spent some quality time with your gardening tools to clear Zone 1 and Zone 2. (If not, take advantage of the next cool/rainy day or early morning and get to it!)

The importance of a controlled burn

Let’s start with a quiz. Fill in the blank: Prescribed burning is…?

a) holding your temper during a heated family dinner argument.
b) swearing only in your head when a lousy umpire calls your kid out at first.
c) using fire to control vegetation for sound environmental purposes.

Okay, a case could be made for “all of the above,” but we were going for “c.”

What is a controlled burn?

A controlled burn, also known as a prescribed burn, managed fire, or Rx fire, is a relatively small, localized, closely monitored fire, deliberately set to achieve certain goals. CAL FIRE / Butte County Fire calls prescribed fire “the planned and controlled application of fire to the land under specified conditions, to reduce vegetation and risk from wildfire.” There are also other environmental reasons for the use of prescribed burns.

Who does controlled burns?

Anyone with a property large enough to require a controlled burn can initiate the process for one, but it requires careful planning and collaboration with CAL FIRE / Butte County Fire, which works with federal and state agencies, tribal governments, fire departments, communities, and landowners on the planning and implementing of prescribed fires. Visit the Butte County Prescribed Fire Association for additional information on performing a prescribed fire on your property.

Why so much planning?

The most important reason for careful planning is to make sure a controlled burn doesn’t defeat its purpose by getting out of control and causing the wildfire it’s intended to prevent. Plus, the logistics, equipment, and skilled personnel required to safely execute a controlled burn need to be assembled. There are also significant liability issues to review.

What if I see smoke?

Ideally, if you see smoke from a controlled burn, you would already have received notice of a burn scheduled for your general area. Of course, it’s always possible to miss a notice. So, if you see smoke you weren’t expecting, stay calm and visit the CAL FIRE/Butte County Fire Twitter and Facebook pages for the most current, up-to-date information. You may also call CAL FIRE Butte County Fire Prevention Office at (530) 538-7888 with any other questions you might have about controlled burns scheduled for your area. We also recommend sharing any information you get with neighbors, in case they missed the notice, too.