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When it comes to wildfires, the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is worth heeding. If you live in an area that’s susceptible to wildfires, the key to keeping your home and valuables safe is to be prepared.

While this can simply mean having a go-bag packed and ready in the case of immediate evacuation, it’s also crucial to keep the exterior of your home, and the Home Ignition Zone that surrounds it, clear of any combustible items that could exacerbate the spread of flames.

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To find out if you live in an area that’s susceptible to wildfires, this map of national fire zones and fire activity, created by the government’s National Interagency Fire Center is a great resource to find out your proximity to a fire zone.

When it comes to wildfires, the most vulnerable place on any home is the roof. When you think about it, it’s the part of the home that gets the brunt of weather exposure, whether it’s rain, wind, snow, or sun, and it’s also the primary landing zone for wildfire embers.

Embers are one of the three ways that wildfires spread, the other two being radiant heat and direct contact with wildfire flame. However, embers can travel up to a mile ahead of a larger fire, carried on the wind, and can land anywhere on or around your home. Because the roof is so vulnerable during a wildfire, it is essential to maintain it and keep it free of debris that could act as fuel for a fire.

1. Maintain your roof, so embers can’t catch fire

One of the first things you should do as fire season approaches is repair or replace any loose or missing shingles or tiles on your roof, as these spots can become entry points for embers that land on your home. If an ember is able to land on an exposed area of the roof, it’s essential that it should not burn through the roof covering and enter the house, as that’s when fire situations become unmanageable.