There's a way to protect your home from fires, and it's totally affordable.

what you need to know

• Phos-Chek makes a colorless version of fireproof for the home.

• A jug produces 5 gallon retarders, and costs just $ 45.

• A resident of Malibu said he saved her at home.

One woman in Malibu who had witnessed the Woolsey fire said her home would catch fire if she had not taken any preventative measures, including buying a DIY fire test that is available to all.

The flames of Woolsey's fire, which burned the houses near the ashes, burned to the brink of Sandra Kossacoff's house and stopped.

How did your house survive the difference to the houses of others?

"You can take all kinds of preventative measures," said Joe Torres, firefighter and owner of All Risk Shield . "If you live in the WUI, the urban interface of Wildland, you want to drive there and reduce fuel consumption."

Brush Fire closes Highway 2 north

The teams felled trees, shrubs and plants that could quickly ignite near the property and sprayed Phos-Chek, a flame retardant.

"We are often referred to as rust inhibitors leaving a plane," said Chris Thompson, director of Phos-Chek.

Phos-Chek is the bright red dust that you see falling from a fire plane. Phos-Chek also offers a colorless version for homes.

The application does not require the experience of a firefighter.

Phos-Chek recommends attaching the retarder as close as possible to the vegetation.

You need a sprayer and water.

Firefighters fight the fire in Glendale, Eagle Rock

The flame retardant is available online and is in the form of a concentrate. A pitcher gives five gallons of self-timer and costs only $ 59.99 .

Thompson says a typical house size consumes between 5 and 20 gallons.

If the application is well done, it is very effective.

Torres and the people of Phos-Chek say that he applies it only to the vegetation around his house, not to his house, and that he does not have to wait before it comes because a fire is approaching dangerously.

"The last time we submitted the request, we were on vacation in August, it was dry here," Kossacoff said.

An August request deletes a November fire. Torres said all the homes where he used the retarder in Woolsey's fire zone survived.

Kossacoff lost the pool equipment, but the flames, which burned for days, forced evacuations and destroyed property, died in the foundations of his home.

"We believe that without all the measures we have taken, especially without Phos-Chek, we would not have a home," Kossacoff said.

According to Phos-Chek, the product is safe for humans, pets and plants.

It is recommended that the self-timer be used quarterly or every two years.

A sprinkler system or heavy rainfall can eliminate the retarder and limit its effectiveness.

For less than $ 200, a homeowner in a risk area can buy enough for 20 gallons to cover the size of a very large home.

About 100 houses were evacuated due to a forest fire

More tips for cleaning Phos-Check

If a helicopter carrying red objects and not the colorless Phos-Chek applied by hand to the house covers your home, there are ways to remedy this.

In 2016 , Phos-Chek of Rancho Cucamonga and the National Forest Services Office in Angeles gave advice on how to clean the product when needed.

No

Do not wash the red Phos-Chek. If you use a high-pressure cleaner, the tool may force the product to penetrate deeper into the product to be cleaned, especially in porous applications such as concrete, advised George Matousek of ICL Performance Products LP of Rancho Cucamonga. If you clean up in Phos-Chek, you may never get out.

Do not allow animals to eat Phos-Chek and be careful not to leave stagnant water that may have left the clothing.

Fire in Eagle Rock, Glendale region, seen for miles

The retarder contains ammonia and can cause burns if broken. Avoid touching it.

Do:

Rinse the Phos-Chek of your house with water from your garden hose, as no increased pressure is required. Phos-Chek is 100% water-soluble. Wet the red retarder with the hose, wait 15-20 minutes and repeat the procedure. The Phos-Chek begins to break away.

The sooner you wash it in water, the better.

Sometimes Phos-Chek sticks to more porous surfaces like a roof, a forest or a sidewalk. Use a brush with soft bristles to speed up work.

If it comes into contact with the skin, wash it with mild soap and water. Use a moisturizer as many flame-retardant chemicals dehydrate the skin.

Street 134 was closed after the fire of Eagle Rock

Good news:

The good news for the person who does not have time to clean is that the product should fade under direct sunlight for two weeks or two months, Matousek said. In Southern California and other regions of the country where the sun is shining, the product is muted by exposure until it becomes almost invisible, depending on how much sunlight you enjoy.

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