Road/Driveway Clearance:

Photo courtesy of Fire Safe Council of San Diego County
 

Turnouts:

Narrow roads and driveways can deter firefighters and complicate evacuation.  Turnouts, or widened spaces on roadsides for vehicles to pull over, can allow two-way traffic to proceed more quickly.  

Road Width and Grade:

A single-family residential driveway serving no more than two single-family dwellings should be at least 16 feet wide.  Surface materials required will depend on the driveway slope.  Other fire access roads should be at least 24 feet wide, designed to support loads of at least 50,000 pounds, and surfaced to provide all-weather driving capabilities.  The slope on any driveway or road should never exceed 20%.






Photo courtesy of Fire Safe Council of San Diego County

Address:

Turnarounds:

Photo courtesy of of livingwithfire.info
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

Homes located at the end of long or dead-end driveways and roads should have turnaround areas suitable for large fire fighting equipment.  Without an adequate turnaround area, firefighters may be reluctant to enter dead-end driveways and roads.

Bridges and Culverts:

All bridges and culverts leading to your home should be posted with load limits.  Check with your local fire agency to ensure structure designs and load limits are adequate for local firefighting equipment.   

Evacuation Options:

During a fire, having more than one way in and out from your home, property and community are important options to consider.   You may hear this referred to as dual ingress and egress.  Driving conditions will be more challenging with additional traffic, emergency crews and equipment on roads and possibly poor visibility from smoke.  Frequently used roads may be unexpectedly inaccessible.  Be sure you know your evacuation options before a fire.  Check with your local fire authority about community-wide evacuation routes. 

Street Signs:

Photo courtesy of livingwithfire.info              University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

Street signs should be posted at each intersection leading to your home. Each sign should feature characters that are at least 4 inches high and should be made of reflective, noncombustible material.