A lot of info there to do with the style that the US houses are built as compared to Aussie homes.
These suggestions will suit people living on larger lands and acreage.
Going to be a bit of ranting and sidetracking here, but just going off my personal experiences of being a rural fire fighter for 5yrs
For Aussie conditions, there are a variety of ways that can be implemented in bushy areas that are prone to bushfire.
The biggest is having at least 50m of cleared ground around the house. If you live in an area that allows your to keep the grass green, keep it short and tidy in that 50m clearance area. If not, maybe look at other options for fireproof ground cover such as a rock garden.
Contact your local firewarden about coming up with a fire rating for your property with things such as fitting 2" cam locks to your water tanks that the fire brigade can hook onto if a fire comes through the area.
Also know your property.
Back when I was a rural fire fighter a few years ago, we were doing a normal backburn on a local property in prep for fire season and had spent a month planning it out and cutting fire breaks in to set it all up. Everything was going as planned, when the evening came and the supporting brigades went home and took their trucks and tankers with them just leaving our brigade with it's 1 truck and 2 utes. As we were sitting around the truck eating our pizza dinner a huge shower of embers started falling down around us and the house. 1 of the guys took off to the source to find it was a large pile of seasoned felled trees had gone up, while he ran a line down to the pile the rest of us setup secondary pumps into the pool to be able to keep the roof of the house watered down so it didn't catch, I then took a second line down to the fire front and spent the next 2hrs with my buddy taking turns at the wood pile to knock it down. It was an intense fire and you couldn't stand more then a few minutes at it even with the hose spraying it down even with the face shields and PPE we wore.
The property owner later told us that he didn't even know this wood pile was there. So if your on property, take the time to go for a walk or bike ride or drive around and do a general survey of your property to find things like these wood piles. As you can read above they can turn a well planned textbook backburn into a very serious situation.
Things like trees that are close to the house, tell council you want to fell them, especially gum trees which are notorious for dropping widow makers. Just after Cyclone Debbie hit up here, I was out doing clean up at the local school with my chainsaw and the gums there had dropped heaps of branches, 1 I was chopping up ended up being speared 3foot into the ground !
If the council refuses to give you permission to fell the tree, take it up with your local fire brigade again, they can help push the council and if still not them make a complaint to the ombudsman for your council and you'll get your permission
Small things such as fitting inline valves to your downpipes, so when a fire is in the area, you close them off and fill the gutters with water.
Keep your property access clear of large trees and such that may fall and block the road/escape path.
Keep a sort of map of your property with water sources such as dams and tanks that you can give the first responding crew when fires are in the area to make their life easier when formulating an action plan.
Help the firefighters anyway you can without getting in their way, cold water, lots of it, fire fighting is very hot and hard work and you can't drink enough water when fighting fires, same with food, don't be afraid to make some Nutella sandwiches and stuff for them, sometimes you go hard all day and don't get a break to eat something.
Get involved. Rural fire brigades are staffed with volunteers, and can always do more. You don't have to be a fire fighter, you can work the radios, or help with fundraising and events and stuff like that, lots of stuff to help with.
