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Bronchitis is a bothersome condition, marked by coughing, excessive mucus production, a tight chest and shortness of breath. It’s not a great way to start the season, but many people experience bronchitis on an annual basis around the start of fall or winter.

This form of bronchitis, known as chronic bronchitis, will generally continue to affect a person for the rest of their life. Acute bronchitis, on the other hand, can occur once and be gone forever.

Whatever the cause, it’s no doubt that bronchitis is a pretty irritating infection. Sometimes it can get serious enough for someone to have to take time off of school or work. In these cases, people are quick to run to the store to get medicine.

However, this isn’t necessary. I personally suffer from chronic bronchitis and get it twice a year. By using some of the herbal remedies in this list, I’m actually able to knock the bronchitis out of my body before it debilitates me or prevents me from getting to work.

Disclaimer

The author and thehomesteadinghippy.com are providing this article and its contents on an “as is” basis, and make no representations or warranties of any kind with respect to this article or its contents. The author and thehomesteadinghippy.com disclaim all such warranties, including for example healthcare for a particular purpose.

Without further ado, here are some of the most effective home remedies for fighting bronchitis.

1. Rest

This might sound a bit obvious, but many people push themselves way too hard when they are fighting off some sort of infection. One of the most important things to do when you’re battling bronchitis is to make sure that you don’t exert too much energy.

If this means taking a couple of days off work so your immune system can do its thing, then do it. The immune system requires quite a bit of energy to work properly, so preventing it from doing so by working yourself too hard is absurd!

2. Stay Hydrated

Another thing that’s important is to ensure that you stay hydrated when you’re suffering from bronchitis.

One of the most common things that people notice when they have the problem is that the mucus they have to work out in the morning is often a lot harder to dislodge than the phlegm from later in the day. This is because the body loses quite a bit of hydration in the night, and this causes the mucus to become thicker.

Drinking warm liquids throughout the day can help you replenish your fluid levels and ensure that the mucus in your lungs is thin enough to easily cough out.

3. Steam Bath

One of the best ways that you can help to loosen up things in your lungs is to take a steam bath. This is, in essence, just inhaling steam.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to boil a pot of water and then pour some into a bowl. Drape a towel over your head and inhale the steam. This will allow you to hydrate your lungs directly and can be immensely helpful for helping to loosen up any phlegm that might be stuck in your lungs.

4. Hot Showers

Another way to get a lot of steam into your lungs is to simply take a hot shower. One of the best things to do when you’re showering is to put a bit of essential oils, like lavender or eucalyptus oil, at the far end of the shower. This will vaporize with the steam and will help to loosen up some of the mucus in your body even more.

5. Essential Oil Steam Bath

If you’re going to be making a steam bath, then you might as well make it more effective than simply using water.

There are many essential oils that are known to have medicinal properties. Putting a couple drops of lavender, peppermint, or eucalyptus oil into your steam bath before breathing the steam can be incredibly helpful for helping you loosen up any secretions stuck in your lungs.

Essential oils can be found anywhere that sells aromatherapy products. Places like health food stores and metaphysical shops often carry these products, and sometimes you can find them in a good pharmacy.

6. Use a Humidifier

It’s important to keep the air that you’re breathing moist, especially if you’re suffering from a problem like bronchitis. One of the best ways to do this is to get a humidifier. These devices help to ensure that the air in your room retains moisture and doesn’t dry out your skin and lungs.

If you have a wood stove, then you might not need to buy a humidifier. You can just place a pot of water on top of the stove. The heat from the metal will help to vaporize the water and this will help to maintain a healthy level of humidity in the room.

In fact, if you own a woodstove, you should probably be doing this anyway. The heat from the fire has a tendency to suck the moisture out of the air and this can aggravate any conditions that you might have.

7. Hydrogen Peroxide Humidifying

Another thing that you can do to help you improve the moisture in your house (and in your lungs!) is to put some hydrogen peroxide in your humidifier – but only if you have an ultrasound, cool-mist humidifier!

Hydrogen peroxide, a well-known home medicine, is great for helping to fight infections. Hydrogen peroxide also helps to thin mucus. Leaving the humidifier on around the clock helps to ensure that you get the most out of this remedy.

8. Chili Peppers

Chili peppers of all sorts are one of the most effective ways to help fight bronchitis, and one of the only remedies on this list that I make sure to keep year-round – not for their delicious flavor, but because they can give the boot to just about any respiratory infection that strikes a person down in the colder seasons.

Spicy food contains a compound known as capsaicin. You might have noticed when you eat something spicy (or if you see a chili head chowing down on something hot) that their nose starts running. This is because capsaicin can immediately and effectively help to thin out mucus.

If you eat something really hot, then you’ll be coughing out anything that’s been stuck in your lungs right away. Chili peppers can be found in many grocery stores and health food stores. It’s good to start out with something more mild, like cayenne pepper.

9. Mullein

Mullein is one of the best herbs that a person can consume when they’re suffering from a respiratory problem. It’s a folk medicine that has been used for many hundreds of years, and it contains a number of saponins. These compounds are known for helping to get rid of excess phlegm as well as to provide comfort to any sore membranes – like the ones in your lungs that hurt from coughing all day.

You can take mullein in a few ways. One of the best ways is to make it into a tea by steeping a couple teaspoons of the leaves in a cup of hot water. You can also add mullein leaves into a steam bath and inhale the vapors. Bonus points if you drink the remaining steam water afterwards, since it will have become a tea.

Mullein can be found in many health food stores and in some pharmacies. However, in pharmacies it’s often only available in capsule form. The dried leaf is much more effective.

10. Garlic

Garlic is another one of the remedies that I make sure to keep on hand, not just because I enjoy the flavor and the aroma but because it’s essential for my personal recipe when I have bronchitis or any other infection.

Garlic contains a compound known as allicin. Allicin is known for being a potent antimicrobial agent that can be useful for fighting off viruses and bacteria, like those that can cause bronchitis. Not only that, but it’s a great plant for helping to loosen up the airways in the lungs and help to expel any extra mucus that might have build up.

Allicin becomes more potent if it’s exposed to oxygen. A simple way to do this is to chop up your garlic and let it sit for a few minutes before using it. Eating it raw is one of the best ways to absorb its benefits, but don’t do this too often or on an empty stomach or it will be uncomfortable.

Garlic can be found at any natural health food store or any grocery store. Obviously organic varieties are better.

11. Ginger

Ginger is another food that’s incredibly useful for helping to maintain immunity and fight off bacteria. I like to include ginger in my bronchitis-fighting regime because it helps to loosen up the airways and can make the body feel a lot stronger when you’re suffering from an infection.

Organic ginger can be found at health food stores and some grocery stores. Some of the best ginger I’ve ever had was imported from areas like Brazil and Peru. The more pungent the ginger, the stronger the medicinal properties will be.

12. Ginger + Garlic

There is a reason to combine these two medicines aside from the fact that they are both powerful on their own.

This reason is because ginger actually nullifies the discomfort of the garlic. You know how ginger can be useful for treating nausea? This is because it has somewhat of a painkilling effect. But this painkilling effect isn’t just effective for nausea, it can work all over the body.

Why is this important? Well, first you should know a bit about sublingual absorption. When you hold a supplement or a drug under your tongue, the active compounds are usually absorbed into the mucus membranes under the tongue and in the cheeks.

This causes the compounds to be absorbed into your bloodstream immediately instead of having to be processed through your stomach. This often destroys some of the nutrients.

Doing this with garlic is the best way to get the allicin into your bloodstream. However, holding garlic under your tongue can be very uncomfortable because it’s a very pungent plant and it can cause a burning sensation. However, mixing garlic with ginger and holding them both in your mouth completely nullifies the pain.

I do this any time I feel a buildup of mucus in my lungs that I can’t get out. I’ll usually pop a half-clove of garlic and a fingernail-sized piece of ginger in my mouth, chew them up, and hold them under my tongue for about 10 minutes. By the end of that 10 minutes, I’m coughing out whatever’s held in my lungs.

13.Oregano Oil

Oregano oil is another essential ingredient in anyone’s cabinet if they’re hoping to be able to ward off infections. This is because oregano oil is, hands down, one of the best antibiotics on the planet. It’s great for treating any bacterial infections ranging from common colds to bronchitis.

Oregano oil contains carvacrol, which is known to help fight inflammation and help stop the growth of microbes. Taking a couple droppers of oregano oil a day will help to get rid of bronchitis.

Again, sublingual absorption (under the tongue) works best. However, oregano oil burns quite a bit when held too long. I have not tried this myself, but I imagine using ginger would also help to nullify the pain of oregano oil.

One note of caution is to make sure that you take a probiotic supplement after using oregano oil. It is very strong and does not discern between the good bacteria in your gut and the bad bacteria causing an illness. You’ll need to replenish your gut flora by eating fermented foods or taking probiotic supplements.

Oregano oil can be found at health food stores and pharmacies.

14. Olive Leaf Extract

Olive leaf extract is another interesting supplement that you can use to help viral infections. It might not be as incredibly powerful as oregano oil, but some might be okay with this.

One cool thing about olive leaf extract is that it’s selective. That means that it inhibits the growth of viruses while doing minimal damage to the body’s own bacterial flora.

Not only will it help to fight the bacteria causing your infection but it will also help to bolster your immune system, fight any inflammation related to the infection (or anything else) and help improve your energy levels.

You can find olive leaf extract in health food stores and in good pharmacies.

15. Onions

Onions are another antibiotic that you should keep in your kitchen at all times in case you get an infection.

Onions are actually such a powerful medicine that practitioners of Ayurveda don’t recommend eating them often, unless you’re hoping to treat a specific illness. They can be dangerous to the body’s intestinal flora and they stimulate the mind and lungs.

If you’re sick, however, this can be a great thing. Onions will help to kill the bacteria that can cause your infection. On the bonus side, they’re cheap and can be found in any grocery store.

16. Honey

Honey is well-known for being a powerful antimicrobial agent, and it can help you overcome symptoms of bronchitis by fighting the infection at its source.

Not only is honey good for fighting infections, but it can be useful for helping to soothe some of the symptoms associated with respiratory problems. You’ve probably experienced some degree of a sore throat when suffering from bronchitis, and honey is well-known for being a remedy to soothe sore throats.

It’s best to get a type of honey that’s high in nutrients and antioxidants, like manuka honey. Processed, white honey usually has most of the nutrients sapped out of it.

17. Onion + Honey

Onion and honey – affectionately referred to by me as honion – is a great combination for anyone hoping to fight bronchitis.

Why would these two seemingly disparate herbs go so well together? Well, that’s because onions are most potent when they are raw. Not everyone can handle the flavor of a raw onion (though I personally love chomping on them like apples when I’m sick, and if that floats your boat, then go for it).

For those who can’t enjoy the intense pungent flavor, though, you can chop or blend some raw onion together and consume it. Bonus points if you mix in some ginger lor cayenne pepper. If you can handle holding the mixture in your mouth for a while, feel free.

18. Honey and Cinnamon

If you’re not fond of the idea of mixing honey with onions, then you can find some benefit by the much more palatable mixture of honey and cinnamon.

In addition to the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and beneficial enzymes present in the honey, the cinnamon can help your body fight the symptoms of bronchitis by getting rid of inflammation in the lungs. Cinnamon is actually useful for helping to treat allergies and the related respiratory symptoms.

Cinnamon can be found in powdered form anywhere that spices are sold, like a grocery store. Whole cinnamon sticks can also be purchased and powdered yourself in a blender or with a mortar and pestle.

19. Thyme

Thyme is one of the best herbal remedies for bronchitis. Research has revealed that people who were using thyme and primrose while suffering from bronchitis experienced a significant reduction in their cough and the amount of mucus that they were producing.

You can find thyme tinctures and supplements at pharmacies, but why not just make the medicine yourself? It will be more nutritionally beneficial if you make your own thyme tea by adding the fresh leaf, found in a grocery store, or the dried spice to a cup of boiling water. Use a couple of teaspoons to experience improvement to your symptoms.

20. Echinacea

Echinacea, a powerful herb that grows all around North America, is one of the most powerful herbal remedies for a variety of different infections. It has been used for centuries to fight colds, flus, and other problems that affect the upper respiratory tract.

Much research has been done on echinacea, and different antiviral compounds have been identified in the plant. You can find echinacea in supplement form in health food stores and pharmacies, and you can also make your own tea or poultice by making tea from loose echinacea purchased at a health food store.

21. Astragalus

In addition to having a name that’s a lot of fun to say, astragalus is known for being a powerful immune booster. The herb has been used for many centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine because it’s able to help fight infections in the lungs and improve their function.

Astragalus also fights inflammation. Good health food stores will carry astragalus in its loose form, and you can find supplements and tinctures in many pharmacies.

22. Ginseng

There are several different forms of ginseng. However, each different form is quite similar. They are all roots and they all possess impressive benefits in regard to the immune system. Ginseng is so powerful that it’s become popular in mainstream health for its ability to help fight off illness.

In addition to boosting the immune system and helping it give the boot to infections, ginseng can restore energy and fight inflammation. These two traits make it immensely useful for anyone who is currently battling an infection, particularly if you can’t get time off work.

The two most common forms of ginseng are Siberian ginseng and Panax ginseng, both of which can be found in most health food stores in the form of supplements, capsules, or whole powder. If you can find whole ginseng roots, these will be even more beneficial.

23. Glutathione

Glutathione is a compound that’s produced by our body. It helps us fight off infections and illnesses.

Unfortunately, not everyone is able to produce the optimal amount of glutathione. For these people, taking a supplement containing glutathione can help enhance their body’s ability to fight infections.

Glutathione supplements can be found in most pharmacies and in some health food stores.

24. N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)

Despite having a bit of an intimidating name, N-Acetyl Cysteine or NAC is a good compound to keep around in case of an upper respiratory infection. NAC is really just an amino acid derivative, but it’s been shown to have impressive benefits in helping to fight bronchitis.

One thing that NAC does is help the body produce more glutathione, and that’s one of the reasons that it’s great for helping to ward off illness. It can also be useful for helping improve cognitive function and fight off brain fog, which can affect people who are lethargic from fighting off an infection.

Some pharmacies carry NAC, but you are more likely to find it in a supplement shop or a bodybuilding shop. You can also find it easily online.

25. Menthol

Menthol is the active compound found in peppermint.

It has a number of useful applications in regards to bronchitis. The essential oil of peppermint can simply be inhaled to help soothe the symptoms of bronchitis. It can be placed in an essential oil diffuser or used in a steam bath.

Many companies also make topical menthol lotions, some mixed with eucalyptus oil. These can be applied directly to the chest. Menthol will help to soothe the area and provide pain relief. If there is eucalyptus oil in the product then this will help to loosen up phlegm.

These salves and lotions can be found in some pharmacies but more often in health food shops.

26. Rose Hips

Rose hips have been used in areas of Europe for many centuries to help fight coughs and infections. These wonderful little herbal remedies are loaded with vitamin C and certain bioflavonoids that help to loosen up any mucus stuck in the lungs.

Rose hips can be picked from – you guessed it – rose bushes, but if they are not in season then you can find rose hips in the form of supplements from most health food shops and in some pharmacies.

27. Cranberry

Cranberry juices and extracts have been proven to help fight viral infections. This is party because of their incredibly high vitamin C content, but also because of its useful array of antioxidants and nutrients.

Cranberries actually make it more difficult for a virus to stick to a cell and cause problems. For this reason, it’s great to consume cranberry juice in the earliest stages of an infection. If everyone around you starts getting sick, you will probably want to start drinking lots of cranberry juice just to prevent yourself from getting sick.

Cranberry juice can be found at many grocery stores. However, most brands include a lot of added sugar which can just cause inflammation and make infections worse. Look for organic cranberry juice from health food stores or just juice your own cranberries.

28. Concord Grapes

Concord grapes have been suggested to have similar virus fighting properties as cranberries.

You can mix concord grape juice with cranberry juice or with many of the other ingredients found on this list to make a tasty concoction that will help fight your bronchitis. Again, look for all-natural organic grape juice that doesn’t have added sugar.

29. Green Tea

Green tea is loaded with nutrients. There’s a reason that people who live in areas where everyone drinks lots of green tea tend to live longer. The beverage is packed with bioflavonoids, antioxidants and nutrients.

These compounds work together to help enhance the virus and bacteria-fighting properties of the mucus layer in our lungs. If you don’t like the flavor of green tea, you can mix it with some grape juice or another flavorful and nutritious beverage.

Green tea can be found at many grocery stores, but try to find organic varieties as these will contain more nutrients.

30. Purse Your Lips

This might look (or feel) a little bit funny, but some people report experiencing an improvement to their condition by practicing what’s known as pursed-lips breathing.

If you purse your lips and inhale through the small opening, you will actually keep your airways open for longer. This helps your lungs to expel old air which can be difficult to do when the airways are inflamed or constricted.

This makes it easier to breathe overall, and can help you improve the amount of oxygen available to your body. It can be very useful if you’re not able to get time off work or if you have things to accomplish while you’re sick.

31. Gargle Salt Water

Gargling salt water can help you improve your conditions in a number of ways.

First off, swishing a saline (salt-water) solution can help you get rid of any excess mucus that has been build up in your mouth or in your throat when you’re sick.

Contrary to popular belief, salt water isn’t actually antimicrobial. It won’t kill whatever is causing the infection. However, it can certainly make you feel better. Studies have also shown that gargling salt water on a regular basis can help to ward off infections, though it may not actually help to kill them.

You can make your own saline solution by mixing Himalayan mountain salt or another nutritious form of salt into hot water. Healthy salts can be found at natural food stores.

32. Vitamin D

If you live in an area where you don’t get a lot of sunlight – or if you just don’t like going outside too often – then you might want to consider loading up on vitamin D. Food like sardines are very high in vitamin D, but you can also just find supplements in health food stores and pharmacies.

Studies have revealed that people deficient in vitamin D are more likely to get upper respiratory infections. Not only that, but their symptoms are often more intense and the problem can stick around for much longer.

33. Stop Smoking

If there’s one thing that I appreciate about bronchitis, it’s the fact that it helped me stop smoking.

I smoked when I first began getting bronchitis. I thought it was normal for bronchitis to last more than a month.

However, one time I got bronchitis that was so severe I couldn’t smoke. But it only lasted a week or so. Symptoms were going away until I started smoking again, and I finally recognized how intense the correlation between smoking and bronchitis is.

Basically, if you smoke a lot, bronchitis will stick around for a lot longer. I’ve experienced, multiple times, a reduction in some symptoms like fatigue and lethargy, but continued experiencing a tight chest, thick mucus, and a persistent cough for up to two months after contracting bronchitis. This only happened when I continued to smoke.

I can assure you, stopping smoking is the best way for a smoker to get over their bronchitis faster.

In Conclusion

Bronchitis is a very unpleasant condition that can occur on a fairly regular basis.

Fortunately, bronchitis is also one of the easiest conditions to manage with herbal medicine. Using the above remedies and applying a bit of wisdom has helped me reduce my twice-yearly bout of intense bronchitis into a bit of chest tightness for a day or two.

Hopefully these remedies can help you overcome your bronchitis!

The post These 33 Natural Remedies Will Help You Beat Bronchitis appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.

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When I evacuated my family during the Yale Road fire, I will always remember the fire tornado headed straight for my homestead. I watched in horror as this massive-spinning nightmare tunnel headed straight for my house.

A gust of wind came in and pushed it just by my home. It ended up burning down a field of the neighbors. Governor Jay Inslee came to my side of the state of Washington to survey the destruction the fire caused. It did do some damage. Lucky for everyone, Freeman farmers know how to work and were out there chopping out flames with their axes alongside the firefighters.

It didn’t stress me out like it should have. See, I was prepared. I had a special box set aside with my favorite out-of-print book in it, along with photo albums and anything else irreplaceable. This wasn’t my first wildfire experience and was likely not my last. Wildfires have become a season here in the Pacific Northwest.

I’ll always remember as a kid watching the news report on the Hangman fire and watching the fire on the television and in my backyard. See, money really is a concept. Survival is more important than money. The most important thing to know is that money too can burn.

The one thing I’ve learned since the Yale Road Fire, was that I know how to homestead. We were modern homesteaders and lived off the land. We grew our own food and even housed chickens and ate their organic eggs. I didn’t understand how my husband at the time wanted to evacuate all his record albums and wasn’t satisfied in just grabbing the ones worth the most money.

It was very natural to me to set a box aside with my favorite belongings and quickly grab it if I was forced to evacuate. I was fire ready. I knew how to live in society and live in a world where I knew the dangers of wildfire and how to keep my home as safe as possible.

Yes death and taxes are two of the necessaries of life, however, the in-between belongs to all us humans. My first homestead brought me a lot of peace. I liked creating my own water systems, knowing how to grow seeds and maintain them, most importantly I knew what to do in the occurrence of fire.

Causes of Fire

In order to be properly prepared for the devastation that is fire, you have to know what will cause it. August in the grain belt of the Palouse is particularly a possible cause of fire. The reason this is ideal for the growth of wheat is because of the wet winters, and springs and the burst of high temperatures in the late summer. This gives wheat the advantage. It can grow abundantly in the spring and in the early summer and then dry out just in time for the harvest.

It is so dry during this time of year that something like the spark from a train going by can cause a wildfire. The Yale Road fire was caused from a falling branch colliding with a power line. During this time on your homestead you want to create a green barrier around your home. Your family house is worth saving.

The fire tornado I saw coming at my house may have diverted for this reason. I made sure all the undergrowth and dead trees were cleared and I kept my lawn watered. Fire eats up dry and dead tinder and if you don’t have a lot of it around your home, you might just save it.

In August, the fire department will alert the public of fire danger and do not allow any type of fire. During this time any backyard fires or camp fires are now allowed. Utilizing your chainsaw or even flicking a lit cigarette on the ground can cause a wildfire. Lit candles and other items lit can be a fire hazard. Down power lines can also cause wildfire. If you see a down power line, call the power company to alert them.

One of the best ways a homesteader can create a green barrier around the home is to buy goats. Goats will eat anything. They are animals and will try and eat your car or house if you let them. If you pen them right, they will eat the underbrush and dry brush and keep the area around your house clean.

At my first homestead, when the fire struck I didn’t have goats. I did have a green barrier. If you don’t want the responsibility and the hassle that comes with goats, they aren’t necessary. You can build a green zone without them. However, if you are like I and love animals, goats provide a wonderful way to maintain the green area around your house. They will also give you milk and if you get really savvy you can make your own goat milk soap.

Fire Drills

When I worked as a social worker, I came face-to-face with the dangers associated with fire. The first industrial fire system I worked with turned on and squealed a loud siren and while I fumbled to turn it off the sound blared in my ear.

The community that resided there knew exactly what to do and walked out the front door and stood on the lawn. They did this with little stress. They did this because they knew what to do, they had done this drill many times before. They were conditioned to once they heard that particular sound walk to a particular location and wait to make sure it was safe to go back in.

Practice makes perfect. That’s why it is essential to do a fire drill at least twice per year. Every life and every human will experience some calamity be it fire or divorce. The survivors will know what to do in the face of it. It was because of this and doing regular drills, that I knew what to do when I saw the fire coming near my homestead.

That’s why if you are homesteading or planning to homestead, always have a “go bag” or box with special papers in it ready to go. These can be pictures or things like wills and birth certificates. Every home should have working smoke detectors with noise that can alert you if a fire is coming.

Every person in the house should know where to go if the house catches fire. Specify a spot that everyone should go if the house catches fire. Make sure that spot has necessities like tarps and blankets in case a fire breaks out during the cold season.

Remember that memories are more important and human lives matter most. Livestock should also be accounted for. Once the household is safe, every animal on your property should have an escape plan. Many family farms and homesteads have a plan to open the gates and give their animals a chance to run away.

You will hold a lot of regret if you let your animals get burned. They should be a part of the drill. They aren’t the most important family members, but they do matter.

Developing a Bug Out Plan

A plan is more important than your bug out bag. A bug out bag packed and at the ready is very important, however, if you lack time to grab it don’t. Your plan and the safety of your family is the most important.

There are many places you can download bug out plans templates. No matter the template, your individual home will require some specialized designing on your part. When you are designing your evacuation plan, ask yourself what other disasters you’re likely to encounter.

You also want to measure the path of the winds. Many homesteaders have wind mills. The simplest thing you can do is lick a finger and feel which way the cold air hits your finger. That will tell you which way the wind is blowing. Since fire is one of your dangers, knowing the pattern of the wind is important as it will help you navigate the path of the wind.

During fire season, positioning your car to go may be the best way to protect yourself and your family. There may be no time to escape and you will need to gather in your car and get out. When I was evacuated I threw my young daughter in the car, closed the door and drove away.

Sometimes, there simply isn’t time to do anything but flee. Still, having a plan can help you. When I was allowed to go back I used my specialized plan to get my homestead animals to a fairground I knew were taking in animals because of the fire. To me that was wonderful. I am someone who worries about the animals almost as much as the family members. It dissipated a lot of stress and gave me one less thing I didn’t have to worry about.

Having a specific gathering place is essential. When I evacuated, people were going to the community church. I’ll always remember parking there and looking up only to see the giant airplanes flying in to try and put out the fire.

You can make your bug out plan and list your strengths and weaknesses, however, know that you won’t truly know how strong you really are until you are facing a fire. This is a plan and survival instincts will jump in and teach you things you didn’t know about yourself. In your bug out plan you should include a first aid kit with all the first aid essentials, among other things. There are plenty of articles covering this aspect.

How to Survive a Fire on the Homestead

When you are in a survival situation, preparation will be the utmost necessity for you. You will not have time to plan on how to get your family to safety when unexpected does happen. The utmost thing you can do is develop an escape plan.

Does your homestead only have two roads to get out? You will need to know this. When I was escaping the Yale Road fire, I knew there were only two roads around my house. I knew the road to my right was burning so I went left. If you have upper floors, you want some sort of fire-resistant rope ladder that can be brought down so your family can get out quickly. Every house should have working smoke detectors.

A lot of families change the batteries of their smoke detectors on New Year’s Day. Pick a day and make it a tradition. Every home should have a working smoke detector. When you plan your drill, make sure your family knows how to test the door. If the knob is hot, stop. Chances are your door knob is made of metal. Metal conducts heat better than wood. Test the door knob before you touch the door. If any of it is hot, stop and try and find a different way out.

When escaping a fire in the home, stay as low to the ground as possible. You don’t want to pass out from smoke inhalation before you get out of the path of the fire. If you can keep a wet rag over your mouth while you get out, do so. It will help stop the smoke from getting into your lungs. Once you leave don’t go back. Plan to get out, not go back in.

Keep your Emergency Kit near your planned exit. Have two in case your original exit plan won’t work because of fire. Finally your drill should be practiced at least twice per year. Plan your evacuation in the event of rain or snow.

Stopping a Fire

Fire is a reality that can happen to anyone. If you choose to live rural, you should know that first responders may have a harder time getting to your house on time. During the Yale Road fire the first responders didn’t know which road led to what and that caused them a lot of determent.

Most fires do start in the kitchen. Having a fire extinguisher in the kitchen at the ready should be a priority. Fire cannot function without oxygen. Cover an outbreak in the kitchen with a non-flammable item.

If the fire starts in your microwave or on you oven, turn the heat source off. A lot of fires that start in the kitchen can be stopped by simply putting a pan lid over it. If you are experiencing a grease fire, know that baking soda and salt can be poured on it to put it out. Do not use flour. It can ignite.

If you are experiencing an electrical fire, the fire department should be notified. Always keep any outdoor fires maintained. One of the best methods of putting out an outdoor fire is using a pine cone in a bucket of water.

Pull the pine cone out and sprinkle it until the fire is out. If you pour the water on it, it might make it harder to reuse. Any outdoor fire should always be supervised and properly maintained with a water source nearby. If your fire is sustainable, it should not be put out until the embers die down. Use your hand waving over the fire to make sure it is out. Keep a shovel nearby and make sure any underground embers are put out. You can use dirt to put out the fire instead of water.

All outdoor fires should have a trench dug around them to keep them from becoming uncontrolled. Use a shovel or use a backhoe. Know where your hose is in case you need to put a fire out that gets out of control. Fire can be managed with proper preparation.

More than one-third of house fires are caused from unattended candles. Never keep a candle unattended. Fire is important for the home. It should be properly managed and never left unattended. Think of fire like a 2-year old. You never want to leave it alone. An unattended fire or an unattended 2-year old can cause a lot of unnecessary damage. Never touch a fire or embers to see if it is hot. Those kinds of burns hurt.

Stop, Drop and Roll

You’ve likely heard this phrase before. It is very recognizable for a reason. It has saved lives. Imagine a piece of clothing is on fire. You probably will only be thinking of protecting your clothing. If you don’t do it right, however, you can make it a lot worse and end up in a burn unit.

If you see flames, don’t immediately wipe. Instead you want to follow this simple phrase. The first thing you want to do is to stop. Cease any movement and take the time to really ascertain your situation.

If you are, in fact, enflamed that is when you follow the next step. Plan to drop to the ground. If you can use your hands to cover your face to avoid burning your face. If you are still on fire that is when you roll out the flames. Do this to really make sure the fire is put out. Always remember that you can replace everything in your house. You can’t replace you.

That’s why before you do anything, check yourself to be sure you don’t need to Stop, drop and roll. The heads of the household need to be prepared to do this if any of their children or if anyone in the household is on fire.

A blanket can snuff out a fire. It is also flammable. Try to put out the fire by using this trick before you do anything else. You don’t want to make the fire worse. Remember that this technique is only used if a person catches fire.

If your fire alarm goes off, don’t do this technique first. This is a specific fire preparation for humans who catch fire. Plan on evacuation if it is your home and not you. The Stop, Drop and Roll method is for people. If they are on fire this is how you put them out before you get away.

I’ll always remember how in the middle of the day, the sky above me turned dark and I saw the neighbors getting in their cars to get away. I yelled at them to know if they were evacuating. Many people who owned 4wheelers drove around looking for elderly and people who could not feasibly get out.

Fire can happen to anyone. In the Pacific Northwest it is considered a season. We laugh, and we plan. It doesn’t matter we love our dirt. We love our way of life. Fire won’t stop us, we will just manage for it. I’ve lived through two wildfires now and still love the Palouse. I guess love really does conquer all, even wildfire.

Disclaimer

The advice in this article is for information purposes only. Neither the author, nor thehomesteadinghippy.com shall be held liable for any misuse of the advice given here.

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