Extremely dry fuels and more days with a north wind both contribute to what is, on average, the busiest time of year for wildfires to start and quickly spread.

Extremely dry fuels and more days with a north wind both contribute to what is, on average, the busiest time of year for wildfires to start and quickly spread.

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Extremely dry fuels and more days with a north wind both contribute to what is, on average, the busiest time of year for wildfires to start and quickly spread.

Even with a few days of rain in Northern California, the fall season is often the busiest time of year for firefighters battling wildfires.

At this point in the year, grasses, brush and trees tend to be extremely dry and shifting weather patterns yield more days with a brisk northerly breeze through the Valley. Those factors can come together to create some dangerous fire weather conditions.

But this weekend, the weather is expected to be seasonably warm and sunny, making this a good time to think about some home hardening projects you can tackle to reduce your property's risk for wildfire damage.

Dr. Anne Cope is the Chief Engineer for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). Cope and her team have analyzed before and after data for hundreds of wildfires throughout the country. That data shows one key difference between homes that sustained significant wildfire damage and homes that did not.

“The largest indicator of whether a home was going to light or not light is if there was combustible stuff in that first five feet," Cope said.

That "combustible stuff" can be anything from mulch to bushes to wood fencing. Cope says that all of those elements should be kept at least five feet away from a home. She recommends doing one small landscaping project each of the next few weekends to simplify bigger jobs.

In the wake of NorCal's record-breaking heat wave at the start of September, it's important to remove any dead plants or branches.

"Get that dead stuff out of your yard because that is just tinderbox," Cope said.

And be sure to check under your deck. Remove any dried leaves or brush to reduce the risk for ignition under your home.

Cope says another easy fix is to check vents that lead into crawlspaces and attics. The mesh should be fine enough to keep embers out. The recommendation is a 1/8" screen. If you can fit a golf tee through the mesh, it's too wide and should be replaced.

Despite this week's rain, the risk of wildfire starts is expected to go up as an extended period of dry weather begins for Northern California. The KCRA 3 weather team tracks the wildfire risk each day for the Valley, Foothills, Sierra and Coastal Hills. You can check the Fire Threat Index anytime on our website and our KCRA 3 app.

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