SAN MARCOS (KGTV) — A San Marcos homeowner is making fire-resistant upgrades to her house in the San Elijo Hills neighborhood to protect it from wildfire.
Lindsey Smith, president of San Elijo Hills' Fire Safe Council, replaced a wooden gate at her home with a steel one, saying the material is highly effective for fire resistance because steel is non-combustible.
"It was previously a large wooden gate. It was starting to warp and definitely show its age," Smith said.
In her backyard, Smith planted succulents to act as a barrier between her home and potential flames. She says the water-filled plants help create a wall of defense before fire reaches the house.
"We have this big firebreak of succulents that is, you know, between our house and the pool and the wild land urban interface," Smith said.
Smith started upgrading her home to be fire-resistant about a year ago, including updating her vents to keep embers out.
"So this vent is going to keep those embers outside of my home and keep those embers from intruding into my garage and starting the fire from the inside out of my house," Smith said.
She says the upgrades don't have to be expensive. Smith encourages homeowners to identify what materials around their property could be flammable.
"Look around your house about what you're storing around your house, what's flammable around your house. A lot of people store their trash cans abutting their house, and that is going to be full of flammable materials," Smith said.
Smith says she wants her neighbors to take precautions before a fire reaches the area.
"We do not want San Elijo to be the next news story like Altadena and the Palisades. Story of people trying to evacuate and not being able to or an entire community devastated. It would be terrible for that area, the city, just everything," Smith said.
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