The situation in the Amazon has many feeling helpless.

Fortunately, there are ways you can help aid in the protection of the rainforest. And even more ways outlined by Public Radio International.

And while the world battles this dangerous disaster, two wildfires kick-started California’s fire season this week, reports The Washington Post.

Less than a year ago – just last November – California met its deadly Camp Fire. It was the most destructive wildfire in California history, claiming 86 lives and covering an area of more than 150,000 acres.

It’s more important than ever that we be ready for anything.

The National Institute of Building Sciences is working to help protect you, your home, and loved ones.

Here are some steps you can take to protect you and your family in the event of a wildfire.

You Need to Have a Plan.

Let’s talk about mitigation.

There are measures governments, building owners, developers, tenants and others can take to reduce the impacts of wildfires. This is called mitigation, and it can result in significant savings in terms of safety, prevention of property loss, and disruption of day-to-day life.

Some things always to keep in mind:

• Never leave any fire unattended. Whether it’s burning in your fireplace at home, a campfire by your tent, or a candle sitting next to you, always keep a close eye on what’s happening.
• Extinguish things properly. If you need to walk away from a campfire or candle, make sure it’s extinguished properly. The same goes for cigarettes.
• If you see something, say something. This seems pretty obvious, but if you see a fire that’s unattended or burning out of control, call 911 or reach out to your fire department.
• Handle everything with care. Double check local ordinances before burning yard waste, make sure everything is properly put out.
• Look into insurance. Fire protection may not be a bad idea. Look into options that are available to you.

If you and your family are caught in something and you have time to grab anything, make sure it’s an emergency kit.

• Kits should include: fresh water, non-perishable food, dry clothing, flashlight, batteries, first-aid kit, dust mask, personal sanitation items, radio (or some way to stay connected on what’s happening), and blanket.
• Have readily available information – an updated list of contacts, including family members, hospitals, local law enforcement, and power, water and gas companies. You might want to have this stored in more than once place, in case you need to access this away from your home.
• If you must evacuate, do it quickly and know your route ahead of time. Ideally, try to have a plan for several different routes.
• Sign up for your community’s emergency alerts.

The Hard Truth

Approximately 59 million people are exposed to wildfires in the U.S.

Specifically, 2.5 million homes have been built in the wildland-urban interface and are so vulnerable to fire that it would be cost effective to retrofit them to comply with the 2018 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.

These homes, plus nearby businesses and contents, are valued at approximately $1.3 trillion. The cost to retrofit properties these could run anywhere from $4,000 to $80,000.

The mix is highly uncertain, but even taking a conservatively high estimate of $72,000 cost to make the exterior cladding of a property fire resistant, replace windows with double-paned glass, and clear a defensible space of excess fuel, the average benefit of $130,000 still would exceed the cost.

Using a lower, but still realistic, average retrofit cost of $16,000, the benefit is still $430 billion at a cost of $53 billion, meaning $8 of avoided future losses per $1 invested.

When you strengthen one building, the benefits extend beyond the property line.

Wildfire mitigation more than pays for itself. Want to learn more? Visit https://www.nibs.org/. Let’s be social! We’re @bldgsciences on Twitter, or you can find us on Facebook.