Depending on your location, fires can become a serious seasonal threat. It's always smart to be prepared with both the right coverage and the right physical precautions. Here are practical fire prevention measures any short-term rental owner can take.
Safety Tools
To avoid spread, always equip your STR with one or more fire extinguishers in easy-to-find locations, and identify their whereabouts in your welcome guide. Provide renters with a fire safety plan. And while it may seem obvious, always check your smoke alarms — ensure working batteries and test them before each guest stay.
Supplying emergency backup lighting is good practice — flashlights are preferable to candles, especially if families with young children are likely guests. If you do leave candles, keep them out of a child's reach and note this in your welcome guide.
Fire-Resistant Landscaping
Sometimes called "firescaping," this goes beyond keeping your grass watered (though checking proper EPA irrigation is important). If you're in a fire-prone area — California, Utah, Arizona, or Nevada — certain landscaping choices can add curb appeal while providing practical fire protection:
- Choose plants with low sap content, which are more fire-resistant
- Avoid pine trees, juniper, Leyland cypress, rosemary, eucalyptus, and ornamental grasses near structures — these are high-risk in dry conditions
- Create defensible space by clearing dry vegetation within 30 feet of your property
- Regularly remove dead leaves and debris from gutters and around the foundation
Outdoor Regulations
Most STRs require smoking outside, but if possible designate a specific smoking area equipped with ashtrays and waste cans — no flammables nearby. Keep any plants in that area well-watered. Remind guests that discarding cigarette butts into dry brush can result in wildfires and hefty legal fines.
If your property has a fire pit or outdoor barbecue, always ensure they're used in a contained space with no dry vegetation within a one-meter radius. Make these rules visible in the outdoor space itself, not just the welcome guide.
Wildfires can strike without warning. Do you have proper wildfire and fire damage coverage? Request a consultation with VIFO today to make sure your policy reflects your location's risk.