[This article has been updated and revised from the original published in July 2021.]

Fire season has arrived in the US and, with drought still lingering, home hardening and junk removal is needed help protect homes and property.

High winds and ultra-dry conditions means that anything flammable near a home can become fuel. This is not the time of year to leave excess junk piled outside your home or near structures.

When the Winds Pick Up and the Temperature's Rising

Until a few years ago, many people had not previously given much thought to the danger of wildfires. Since then, many have developed an anxious habit of watching the winds and fire conditions in their counties.

The recent and tragic wildfire devastation in Maui is a sad testimony to the ferocity of high winds and dry fuel.

As a NY Times article described the scene in Lahaina recently,

From the ground, the devastation wrought by the fire that leveled Lahaina this week might look familiar in a world where intense, fast-moving blazes have become more common: the blackened tree trunks, the burned-out cars, the piles of debris.

But from a helicopter flying overhead, the magnitude of the fire’s damage took on a surreal quality. The ashen landscape collided with the turquoise blue of the sea, and the buildings that were still standing jumped out like color photographs superimposed on a black-and-white map.

Wildfires have always been part of the experience of in places such as California and Pacific Coast region. However, the last five years have seen some of the most destructive and deadliest wildfires in the nation’s modern history.

The United States has seen a series of wildfires in the first half of 2023,  while Canada has been experiencing record-breaking outbreaks of wildfires with more than two months of "fire season" left to go.

As one philanthropic site has pointed out,

On June 27, Canada surpassed the record set in 1989 for the total area burned in one wildfire season. Record heat is affecting even the typically cooler northern territories.

As of Aug. 13, 2023, the CIFFC has reported 5,678 fires in the year-to-date and 32.62 million acres burned. CIFFC statistics showed 1,102 active fires, with 718 out of control, 157 being held and 227 under control.

The Donnie Creek Blaze, for example, has burned about 1.4 million acres or 2,200 square miles, an area larger than Prince Edward Island.

And according to UC Davis, the 2020 California Wildfire Season is on record as California’s worst fire season. It burned 4.3 million acres, killed 33 people, and consisted of nearly 10,000 separate fires.

Home Hardening and Junk Removal: Keeping Your Home Safer

Home hardening is not a familiar concept to everyone although, tragically, it has become much more so for many residents of wildfire ravaged communities.

One source defines it this way,

Fire hardened means your home is prepared for wildfire and an ember storm. It does not mean fireproof. Home hardening addresses the most vulnerable components of your house with building materials and installation techniques that increase resistance to heat, flames, and embers that accompany most wildfires.

Homes with an adjacent and well-maintained defensible space - space that is free of junk and debris - have a much better chance of surviving wildfire. This is because many homes lost to wildfire are most often ignited by embers or small, low-intensity fires. Ember ignition can occur when embers enter the building through vents or an open window.

In addition to those far-flung burning embers carried on strong winds, near-by sources of embers can create conditions that increase the probability of a home igniting. Which is why outdoor junk removal is essential to maintaining defensible space.

The same source points out that,

We’ve learned from recent fires that hardening your home and keeping the 5 feet closest to your house clear of flammable materials greatly improves the chance of surviving a fire. Maintaining defensible space is the law within 100 feet of a home in wildfire-prone areas, and highly recommended elsewhere.

So, the question is who will you call to ensure that your outdoor junk and debris is safely and conveniently removed for you?

The good news is that Junk King specializes in removing and hauling yard waste and debris, as well as old furniture, lawn equipment, and pretty much anything else you need to dispose of.

Junk King: Your Partners for Bulk Junk Removal and Increased Home Safety

Junk King provides efficient, safe and eco-friendly junk removal services that makes the process easy for you. Our experienced junk and trash removal teams have the resources necessary to haul off those large boxes, lumber, and other junk items quickly, easily, and cost-effectively. 

And, best of all, we do all the heavy lifting!

You simply point and we haul your trash items into our junk removal trucks, with no hidden fees.

Or, if you prefer, we can set you up with one of our convenient rental dumpsters so you can load your junk on your schedule and at your pace. Three days later we'll come back, pick up the MINI Dumpster, and you're good to go!

Our professional and insured junk removal and disposal team will call 15 to 30 minutes before we arrive at your home. And, once we’re there, we’ll give you a free quote based on how much room your junk will take up in our truck or rental dumpster.

So, ready to get rid of that junk? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

You can make an appointment by booking online above or by calling 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).