Clearing the brush is One of the better preparations. Trimming branches off of the trees to 6-8 feet off of the ground helps. The vents that gyr_falcon mentioned is a big one. Houses are set up with vents to help the attic cool off. Often times, there are fans sucking in cool air automatically and they tend to suck sparks and firebrands in to the dry attic, a perfect environment to catch. Also make sure any and all debris such as pine needles have been removed from the roof.

I think the sprinkler idea is a good one and have seen it used to good effect in our foothills communities that experience wildfires on a regular basis. Our problem is that with so many people trying to water their property, and the many many fire engines pulling from the system, water stopped coming from the pipes and hoses of our houses. The demand was too great. If you have your own water supply such as a large tank, sprinklers on your house may be a worthwhile investment. Just know that in a large fire with your type of surroundings, fire departments will try to save your house and you but will most likely let the surrounding vegetation burn. It's about priority (human life, house) and control/contain verses extinguish at that point.

I'll have DH check into that vent thing. This home was built in 1987, so not sure how things are vented. We do keep our trees limbed up, but sparks fly. Also, we keep all important papers in a fireproof safe. I hope El Nino makes this a safer year for fires, but with fires follow floods, so there's always that too.

External Water Spray Systems (EWSS) are more an Australian thing. They are not promoted in the US because fire departments want to conserve water for their own use.

External sprays are generally used to protect structures, not brush. You may be better off directing the sprinklers towards the house. Your wood decks are vulnerable. Think falling embers and flame contact. Remove fuel sources (trees and bushes) adjacent to the house. Removing low branches is not good enough for trees very close to the house.

I have an external spray system but I also have a water tank and a fire pump. Don't plan on utility water in an emergency. All of my sprays are directed towards the house. Decks are protected with sprays on copper pipe mounted on the railings.

The best thing to do with brush is remove it. 100 ft of defensible space is generally recommended.

Dealing with the vents is good advice.

When I lived in a chaparral area, a brush fire roared through the area in late autumn.

I had done good brush clearance, but the house had wooden siding,with nearby mature trees -- pine and several Peruvian/California peppers. I think a change of wind direction saved the house (I had evacuated after being ordered to leave).

Afterwards (shutting the barn door too late), the local fire station held a community meeting. They advised having trash barrels filled with water, towels, and shovel to put out the sparks/embers as they are blown onto the property. Also having vents in the eaves already covered so sparks are kept out. They also warned that if you evacuate too late, the fire storm will take too much oxygen and cause your car engine to die. That piece of advice caught the attention of the audience.

Purely anecdotal, but the CHP seemed alarmist when advising to evacuate. I stayed, put starting putting things in the car. When I saw firemen walking up the road, then I knew there was serious trouble. When the firemen come to say go, go!

Now I'm far from the chaparral, and after years near the beach, I've have finally lost my dread and anxiety whenever the Santa Ana winds are blowing.

Wow! I'm sorry for your loss. The Santa Ana's come from the East, and we don't expect that. Maybe there is nothing we can do?

The biggest threat to homes from brush fires is not from direct contact with the primary flames, but from the embers they send up. Such is why in the aftermath of many brush fires, one can see burned homes at random hundreds of yards away from the blackened hillsides which actually came into contact with the fire.

So while it may be tempting to think sprinklers turned outward might offer the home a protective barrier from encroaching fire contact, the odds are actually higher in the event of wildfire that your sprinklers would be spraying fire-less brush as your home behind the sprinklers burned.

The brush clearance was the best thing to do (as the odds of embers reaching your home decline with the distance they must travel), but I also echo the advice of others regarding checking the vents (the weak spot of many San Diego homes that fell to wild fire in the 2000's) and that it would be more practical to turn your sprinklers inward toward your home rather than outward.

Your neighbor with the sprinklers on his roof seems to be on the right track too with regard to dousing wind blown embers before they land on his/her roof or enter his/her vents.

I'm in the process of taking photos of every room indoor and outdoor (all the decks and BBQ/Smoker/furniture), inside every drawer and cabinet to prove any losses to insurance in case!

I'm currently breathing smoke and seeing smoke from The Lake Fire. We are no where near it, but the same scenario could happen here.

A native Californian I remember all the Malibu fires and how far those embers can travel and set fire to an entire tract of homes in the valley below. You are safe because you don't live IN the hills? Not so.

Sprinklers might not do a whole lot to stop a fire but they can keep a high water content in the plants making them less likely to burst into flame from a stray ember.

As written in the OP, irrigation of the chaparral only when a fire approaches won't do anything to increase the water content in the plants. It is true that following a wet winter, the plants are less combustible. But that really only lasts as long as the rains; come fall, they are just larger, lusher tinder fodder.

I have lived in SoCal my entire life. Ever dry year they claim that the wildfire danger increases due to the dry chaparral. After every wet year they claim that the wildfire danger increases due to the abundant growth to the chaparral due to the more favorable growth conditions. It is on par with STORM WATCH! for every little shower. lol

Some municipalities in SoCal require irrigation in fire zone b in order to maintain a high moisture value in the plants, Gyr. But yes, you have to irrigate all summer long in order to accomplish that.

gyr_falcon, yep! We can't win, wet year or dry year! Same warnings. However we do water all of our plants and trees on the INSIDE of the fence where the house is and I'm currently documenting all the contents of the house in case of fire. There is access to our lower property via a lower driveway, and this hillside has many roads. A little false comfort there.

Sadly, the Lake Fire expanded Wednesday night. I'm sorry about the expense of firefighting, use of precious water, and possibly the loss of property, but let's just hope and pray the firefighters stay safe. And anyone at risk, like Suzi, too.

The Lake Fire smoke looms when I look to the North. I was in shock last night at sunset when I saw the billows, and also about the Santa Clarita fire. I pray for anyone in it's path and for the firefighters. I really hope they can contain it. It's been a week!

Did you read, Suzi....they had to suspend firefighting 2 hours because someone was flying a drone in the area, hazardous to other aircraft. They lost ground during the 2 hours.

I heard about it from my neighbor. Sucks! Drone boy should have to pay. Hope they can find him.