Shift firewood away from home

By Ed Smith

For the Nevada Appeal

One of the most common and costly mistakes homeowners living in high fire hazard areas can make is having their firewood stacked close to their homes.

During fire season, it is not a good idea to have a firewood pile sitting on your deck, under your deck, or adjacent to your house. Burning embers produced by a wildfire can be blown ahead of the fire and into your woodpile, igniting it. A woodpile can burn very intensely and can quickly spread the fire to your home.

In addition to the fire hazard, firewood can attract many insects, mice, and snakes. Keeping the wood a proper distance from any structures will help to keep these pests from entering your home.

Avoid these potential hazards by following these recommendations:

• Keep firewood piles at least 30 feet from the house.

• If your house is on a slope, locate the woodpile uphill from your home.

• Store your firewood in a well-designed log rack to keep it off the ground, and to prevent a burning log from rolling downhill into your home.

• During the winter, continue to store your main firewood pile away from the house and only bring enough wood in close to get you through the cold months.

To learn more about protecting your home from the threat of wildfire, visit www.livingwithfire.info or contact Smith, natural resources specialist, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, at 782-9960 or smithe@unce.unr.edu.

Living With Fire is an interagency program coordinated by University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

• Ed Smith is a natural resources specialist, with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, (775) 782-9960, e-mail him at: smithe@unce.unr.edu.