Embers land a mile ahead of the fire, and they land in your gutters
Plus the one room in your house you can actually keep warm all night.
Issue #064 Thursday, October 22, 2026 Home Safety
Embers ride the wind more than a mile ahead of a wildfire. They land in dry gutters and under decks while the flames are still out of sight.
Today’s Skill
Pick one room and seal it
Pick one room now, before the first hard freeze. Choose an interior room with one door and the fewest windows. Hang a blanket over the doorway and roll a towel against the gap at the floor. Tape cardboard or foam over the window glass at night. Put rugs or sleeping pads on the floor. Everyone sleeps there. A small space holds body heat the whole house will never hold.
On The Radar
The wind turns offshore in October
October dries the hills and turns the wind offshore across much of the West. Falling leaves fill gutters and pile against siding at the same time. Clear your roof and gutters this week. Rake a bare five foot strip around the foundation. Move firewood, door mats, and patio cushions away from the walls. Park facing out and keep the go bag by the door.
The Drill
Run the warm room for two hours tonight
Pick the room tonight. Turn the thermostat down to sixty for the evening, shut the door, and hang a blanket across the doorway. Sit in there two hours with the family. Note where the cold comes in: the window glass, the outside wall, the floor by the baseboard. Write down the three worst spots. Fix all three this weekend.
Ready beats lucky.
- Survival Rise
P.S. Tomorrow: the three pantry items that quit working once the garage drops below freezing.