Before the Rain Comes: A Fall Prep Checklist

With forecasters watching a potentially historic El Niño developing this winter, it's worth getting ahead of the wet season now — especially since a lot of the same prep that protects your home from fire also protects it from water damage.

Here's a simple checklist to work through this fall, before the first big storms roll in:

Roof & gutters

• Clear all pine needles, leaves, and debris from your roof and gutters. (This is also a Firewise essential — dry debris here is one of the easiest ways embers catch on a home.)

• Check for loose or missing shingles/tiles now, while it's dry and easy to get up there.

Drainage

• Walk your property and look for where water naturally flows during heavy rain. Are culverts, ditches, or drainage channels clear of debris?

• If you're on a slope or near a drainage path, check for any early signs of erosion from last winter that could worsen with heavier rain this year.

Defensible space, dual purpose

• The same clearing that creates defensible space around your home — cutting back brush, removing dead vegetation — also reduces material that can wash into drains and culverts during a storm.

• Cleared ground around structures helps water be absorbed and slowed down rather than sheet off quickly, which matters more in a potentially very wet year.

Emergency basics

• Make sure your emergency kit (water, flashlights, a battery-powered radio, medications) is up to date — a good habit whether you're prepping for fire season, flooding, or just a power outage during a big storm.

• If you're in a lower-lying area or near a creek, this is a good year to know your evacuation routes for water, not just fire.

None of this is complicated, but a little bit done in September and October goes a long way compared to scrambling once the first atmospheric river shows up. If you've already knocked out some of this list from your regular Firewise upkeep, even better — log those hours on the volunteer worksheet.