Fire officials offer tips to keeps homes safe in wake of Nassau wildfire

Nassau County, Fl. — More than 100 structures were saved by fire crews in Nassau County, while two homes were destroyed by the wildfire near Bryceville this week.

Fire officials maintain this destruction could have been avoided.

“The two (homes) that were destroyed didn’t have any defensible space; they had woods and flammable brush very close to the home,” said Annaleasa Winter, a wildfire mitigation specialist for the Florida Forest Service. “The homes that were saved had a good, clear defensible space where it’s drivable all the way around the structure.”

Simply clearing dry brush and wood from around your home, trimming tree limbs and keeping the lawn mowed and irrigated, can alleviate much of the fire risk for your home. By installing metal or fiberglass shingled roofs, you can take additional steps to protect your home structurally from fires.

Winter suggests keeping dry materials and brush, at least, 30 feet from the home. If that’s not possible, because of challenges with space, work out a plan with your neighbor or the business you live next to.

The Florida Forest Service also offers many free services to home owners, like mechanical fuel reduction and the mowing, mulching and chopping of brush around a property. For more tips, visit the Florida Forest Service website here.