WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – With ongoing drought conditions and summer heat, we’re acutely aware of wildfire risk. However, that’s not the only fire concern.

Did you know approximately 90% of all wildfires are human-caused? Meanwhile, fires in the home might or might not be the residents’ fault – but will 100% affect them.

As part of our Prepare in a Year series, with monthly tips to make emergency preparedness an achievable goal, July’s focus is fire safety. Here’s how to respond to fire in your home and, better still, how to prevent it. The first, most important thing is to have a plan. It should include drawings of your house with doors and windows, as well as instructions that you practice.

Then you’ll know what to do when the smoke detector or fire alarm go off:

• Leave immediately
• If you smell smoke, drop to your knees to stay below it
• Before going through a closed door, feel it for heat – don’t open a hot door
• If the nearest exit – door or window – is blocked by heat, smoke or fire, go to another one
• If you cannot leave through the door, put a light-colored sheet outside the window to alert firefighters to your location
• If your clothes catch fire, Stop Drop and Roll to put out the flames

And to prevent or mitigate fire in your home, here’s what you need to know:

• Smoke detectors – legally required, should be installed on the ceiling or high on the wall outside bedrooms, stairways and near the kitchen
• Carbon Monoxide detectors – should be near heat sources and on every level of the residence, low – about 18” from the floor – because CO2 is heavy and doesn’t rise
• Flammable stuff – don’t store gasoline, kerosene or other combustible fuels inside, and if you have fuel-soaked rags, store them in a metal container away from the house
• Matches and smoking – keep the matches up high, away from children, and make sure to douse butts with water before disposing
• Heating sources – keep heaters at least 3’ away from anything flammable and never use BBQs or propane heaters indoors, don’t use a gas oven/stove for heat
• Electrical wiring – inspect extension cords for frayed or exposed wires and loose plugs, make sure outlets have cover plates, do not overload extension cords

And, finally: don’t forget batteries for your detectors and have at least one ABC fire extinguisher visible per floor. For more information, visit: Home Fires | Ready.gov.

Amy Cloud is the Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management.  She was born and raised locally, leaving for Whitman College and work in Seattle, Knoxville and Washington, D.C. She returned to work as Supervising News Producer and reporter for KVOS-TV’s NewsView before switching to communications for WWU, PeaceHealth and the City of Bellingham. She also co-chairs the Community PIO Group and is a member of the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues.