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RFC Fire & Rescue

Rural Home & Wildfire Prevention Checklist

Use this checklist to help protect your home, property, and community in our unique northern Michigan and Lake Michigan shoreline environment. Review it seasonally and keep it handy. For site-specific advice, call us at (231) 526-2565.

Top Priorities – Do These First

  • Clear the 0–5 ft zone around your home
  • Trim trees and remove brush regularly
  • Follow safe burning practices and always check permits
  • Maintain equipment and avoid sparks
  • Keep woodpiles and brush away from structures
Manage Forests (Hardwood + Pine)
  • Thin out dense pine and cedar (they ignite easily and burn hot)
  • Keep 10–15 ft spacing between tree crowns near structures
  • Remove dead branches up to 6–10 ft high (“ladder fuels”)
  • Leave hardwoods like maple and aspen — they’re less flammable
  • Key idea: Prevent fire from climbing from ground → trees → house.
  • Clear leaves from roofs, gutters, decks, and under porches
  • Don’t let leaf piles sit against buildings
  • Compost or spread thinly — don’t stack near structures
  • Tip: In dry September–October weather, leaf piles ignite fast and spread quickly.
  • Keep a wider defensible space on the windward side (often west/northwest)
  • Avoid burning on windy days — even if it seems mild
  • Secure trailer chains (a major rural ignition source)
  • Always check permits via Michigan DNR
  • Burn only after rain or in damp conditions
  • Burn early morning or evening (lower wind)
  • Keep hose or water tank ready and a cleared soil perimeter
  • Never leave fire unattended — fully extinguish
  • Many Michigan wildfires start from escaped burn piles.
  • Avoid mowing or grinding on dry, hot afternoons
  • Check for hot exhaust systems and worn bearings
  • Carry a fire extinguisher and water tank (especially during harvest)
  • Clean machinery to remove dry debris
  • Even hitting a rock with a mower can spark a fire.
  • Stack firewood at least 30 feet from your home
  • Keep grass trimmed around wood piles
  • Don’t store wood under decks or against siding
  • Clean debris from under decks and around foundations
  • Use gravel or stone borders instead of mulch near the house
  • Screen vents to prevent ember entry
  • Embers — not flames — ignite many homes.
  • Mow grass to under 4–6 inches within 30–50 ft of buildings
  • Create firebreaks (mowed or tilled strips)
  • Keep ditches and fence lines cleared

Do major clearing in late fall (after leaf drop) or early spring (before green-up) while the ground is moist or frozen — it’s safer and easier.

  • Don’t park hot vehicles on dry grass
  • Avoid dragging chains on trailers
  • Fully extinguish campfires (drown, stir, feel for heat)
  • Keep long hoses or portable pumps ready
  • Ensure driveway is wide enough for fire trucks and has visible address markers
  • Plan for pets and livestock evacuation

Fire risk spikes in northern Michigan during:

  • Early spring (April–May) — dead grass before green-up
  • Late summer (Aug–Sept) — drought + heat
  • Fall (Oct) — dry leaves + wind

Basic Home Fire Safety Checklist

  • Install and test smoke alarms on every level
  • Create and practice a family escape plan with two ways out of every room
  • Keep flammable items at least 3 feet from heaters and fireplaces
  • Have a working fire extinguisher and know how to use it
  • Prepare an emergency kit (water, meds, important documents)