In order to prepare you and your families for cooler weather, we have created a cold weather checklist!

Now that the sun sets a little sooner, take the opportunity to follow our guide below and prep your home before we lose more hours of light and endure stormy days.

• Close off unneeded rooms and place towels or rugs over cracks under the doors to keep the warm air in and cool air out
• If you have a fireplace, make sure you have a good supply of firewood that can keep you and your family warm in the event of power outages
• Have flashlights and batteries available for blackouts and avoid using candles as they can become a fire hazard
• Provide shelter for pets and the elderly
• Bring plants inside to protect them from the elements
• Use blackout curtains as they prevent heat loss
• Reverse your ceiling fans to make them spin clockwise and create an updraft that pushes warm air around the room without creating a wind chill
• Clean the gutters off of your roof as when clogged, rain and melted snow can cause leaks and damage to your home’s infrastructure
• Maintain tree limbs and brush because wind, rain, snow and ice can cause them to break and fall

The following suggestions are from readyforwildfire.org which explain the 5 steps one can take to help protect your home and family.

• Create a defensible space around your home. Try to keep brush, trees or landscaping at least 100 feet away from the sides of your home. This allows emergency crews to safely and adequately protect the structure.
• Make your home as fire-resistant as possible. Concrete, brick and tile are all ember resistant building materials. As far as plants go…roses, honeysuckle shrubs and cherry trees are more resistant to fire than others.
• Put together an emergency kit now. This kit must include everything from face coverings, battery operated radios/flashlights, extra batteries, non-perishable foods that will last three days, medications, change of clothes and legal documents like your birth certificate.
• Write an action plan. This action plan assigns each person a responsibility they’ll have if you’re being evacuated. The easiest way to ensure a fast and safe departure is to make sure all household members have a copy of the list and know their role.
• Let family, friends or neighbors know where you plan on going. Check-in frequently and secure a safe shelter outside of the evacuation zone.

For more tips on how to prepare for a wildfire please visit http://www.readyforwildfire.org

It a beautiful day to go after your dreams.

Remember to strive for progress and not perfection because pushing harder than you did yesterday will bring you a better tomorrow.

Get after it!