AUBURN, Calif — The Auburn City Fire Department is doing something unique to help prevent wildfires from happening in their city.
They've created the Structure Ignition Prevention Program. The department will send an Auburn firefighter to your home to assess whether it's protected in case of a wildfire. Firefighters will complete the inspection on their own and leave door tags behind that outline what should be addressed. And they'll do it for free.
Firefighter Shelby Davis said they are looking for anything that could fuel a fire.
"With the wood fence, we like to have some separation from it touching the house," Davis said. "If the trees next to your house are too close, but we do want to try to keep them off of the roof line altogether as well because that causes more leaf litter on your roof and clogs your gutters."
The program aims to answer one question: How firewise is your home?
"I used to think we were safe until these last fires spreading like mad," Steve Gilbert said during an inspection of his home.
Steve and his wife, Sue, asked Auburn Fire to come out and look at their home. They wanted to know what they should do to protect their home from a wildfire.
"I think what really kind of spurred us on to want to have them take a peak is our proximity to the canyon," Steve said.
The Gilberts do not live far from the canyon near the American River. If a fire were to happen there, it could be bad.
"We want to do anything and everything that we can to protect this 106-year-old home that we love. So it's important that we all pitch in and get us as safe as possible," Sue said.
Fire Chief Dave Spencer said Auburn City is at a significant risk of potential ignitions and destructive fires.
"Because of that, we created a strategic plan that will identify specific... things we want to accomplish," Spencer said.
The Structure Ignition Prevention Program is part of that strategic plan.
"Really, what we want is for the homeowner to be able to have a home that will be successful, standalone without any of our efforts during a major fire," Spencer said.
It goes beyond the home, too. The Gilberts are now working on an evacuation plan just in case.
"When you start thinking about, it it's like you need it. You might just have minutes to get out," Steve said.
You must live within city limits if you want Auburn Fire to inspect your home. You can sign up on their website.
There will be a town hall meeting June 18 for anyone living in Placer County who's interested in learning more about wildfire preparedness.
WATCH ALSO: Wildfire Preparedness