Learn about the wildland fire season in Virginia, winter car maintenance, candle safety and the Office of Emergency Management emergency preparedness newsletter.

1. Health and Safety Podcast Oct. 20, 2010

2. Topics Wildlandfire. Cold weather car maintenance. Candle safety. Emergency Preparedness newsletter.

3. WildlandFire Wildlandfire season inVirginia began Oct. 15; continues through Nov. 30. More than 95 percent ofVirginia’s wildlandfiresare preventable.

4. WildlandFire Fall and spring seasons are when the risk of a fire escaping is greatest. In addition to taking safety precautions to prevent a campfire or hot ashes from a woodstove or fireplace from escaping and becoming a wildland fire, motorists also should avoid parking their vehicles in piles of dry leaves.

5. WildlandFire Clear roof and gutters of leaves, pine needles and any branches. Stack firewood 30 feet from the house. Rake dead leaves and clear dead branches from around the house.

6. WildlandFire www.dof.virginia.gov Rake dead leaves, pine needles and small branches away from gas and propane tanks. Trim all tree branches if they overhang your house and all tree branches from within 20 feet of all chimneys. Put a hose – 100 feet or longer– on a rack and attach it to an outside faucet.

7. Car Maintenance Make sure your car is set for winter. Your checklist should include antifreeze, windshield wiper blades and tire treads. Review how to jump-start a car with a dead battery.

8. Car Maintenance Make sure your car is set for winter. Put on a coat of wax to protect the finish from sand and salt. A well-maintained car not only looks and runs better, it can actually prevent accidents.

9. Car Maintenance Make sure your car is set for winter. Each year, there are more than 37,000 fatal highway accidents, almost 60 percent involving one vehicle. Experts say poor maintenance contributes to many of these accidents. Get more online from the U.S. Census Bureau at www.census.gov.

10. Candle Safety Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department candle safety tips: Place all candles on a protected, heat resistant, dry surface away from anything that can catch fire and out of the reach of children and pets. Place candles on a flat, sturdy surface.

11. Candle Safety Never leave children unattended in a room with an open flame candle. Do not place candles on window ledges or near entryways. An air draft can fan the flame, catching curtains or other materials on fire.

12. Candle Safety Keep burning candles within sight at all times. Candles can present fire hazards outdoors on decks and patios as well as inside your home. Always extinguish candles before leaving home. www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fr

13. Emergency Prep Newsletter The October edition of the emergency preparedness newsletter, produced by the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management is now available online. Available as a PDF and screen reader accessible Word document. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/oem for the newsletter. Call 571-350-1000 for more.

14. Additional Information www.fairfaxcounty.gov www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency 9-1-1 – Emergency police, fire, medical. 703-691-2131 – Non-emergency.