Prepare Now to Protect Your Family,
Home and Business

SEATTLE - Summer is just around the corner and that means it's time to start thinking about protecting your family, home and property from wildfire.

In support of Wildfire Awareness Week (May 4-10), NW Insurance Council urges residents and business owners in high-risk areas to take action to protect their homes and businesses from the devastating forces of wildfire.

More than 5,200 wildfires destroyed nearly 2.8 million acres of land across Washington, Oregon and Idaho in 2007, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

State Breakdown:

• WA - 1,200 Fires/216,995 acres
• OR - 2,561 Fires/648,046 acres
• ID - 1,473 Fires/1,980,552 acres

"The loss of life and property from wildfires is tragic," said Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president. "The good news is that you can reduce your risks dramatically by taking some simple precautions."

You can reduce your risk of injury or damage from wildfire by following these simple preventive measures:

• Review your insurance policy - Contact a representative from your insurance company or your insurance agent to discuss coverage.
• Make sure you have the appropriate amount of insurance and be sure to include any recent additions to your home.
• Create a Home Inventory - A complete inventory of your personal property will help in obtaining insurance settlements and/or tax deductions for losses. Don't trust your memory. List descriptions and take pictures and include receipts if possible. Store your home inventory and insurance papers in waterproof containers offsite in a safety deposit box or with a friend. For free downloadable Home Inventory Software, go to http://www.nwinsurance.org. ·
• Be accessible and visible - Make sure that your house number can be seen from the street. If firefighters can't find you, they can't help you.
• Fireproof your rooftop - The roof is the most vulnerable part of your home when it comes to fires. Replace wood-shake roofs with less flammable material, when possible. Clear needles and leaves from your gutters and roof regularly.
• Defensible Spacing - Clear brush 30 to 100 feet from your home. Keep your yard well groomed and watered. Remove old stumps and weak or diseased trees from your property. If you notice tree branches touching power lines, contact your local utility company. Build exterior wood structures 30 feet or more from your home.
• Home interior precautions - Replace batteries in smoke detectors in every room of your home at least twice a year. Maintain a home inventory of all of your possessions, including descriptions and serial numbers. Keep your home inventory in a fireproof safe or off the premises.
• Home exterior precautions - Install screens on chimneys, stovepipes and attic openings. Trim trees that overhang the home to prevent fire in trees from easily spreading to the roof of the house.

For more tips to safeguard your home or business from wildfire, order a free brochure, Firestorm - Northwest Wildfires: Protecting Yourself. Call (800) 664-4942, or visit www.nwinsurance.org.

NW Insurance Council is a nonprofit, public-education organization funded by member insurance companies serving Washington, Oregon and Idaho

###