3 ways to make your home more wildfire resistant

The Mountain Fire is a reminder that wildfires can spread rapidly in Southern California, which means homeowners need to be prepared year-round for an emergency.

Embers from a wind-driven fire can easily get into a home's attic, and then quickly spread to the rest of the home.

There are affordable upgrades that can make your home more fire-resistant -- and potentially save it from the next wildfire.

Fortify your roof

In a wind-driven wildfire, the roof of a home can catch fire within minutes, according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.

"The roof is, without a doubt, the most vulnerable component of a home," explained Steve Hawks from the institute. "So, having a good class, a fire-rated roof is really critical."

Upgrade your vents

A simple and inexpensive upgrade you can do to your home is change out the vents, explained Jennifer Gray Thompson with nonprofit After the Fire USA.

"Most vents are very standard size," Thompson said. "You can buy them for about $5 each at the hardware store -- and you can install them yourself."

Make sure your home is up to code

California has stronger building codes for new homes. Older homes, however, remain vulnerable.

"We found that when homes are built to the current standards, they do fare much better during a wildfire than previously built homes," Hawks said. "Those existing homes are much more of the issue than the newer built homes. Retrofitting those existing homes to the current standard and beyond."

How can insurance companies help?

Experts say insurance companies need to work with homeowners.

"Insurance companies are going to be the main driver of change," Thompson said. "Until they become far more aggressive on the resilience piece and a little less aggressive on the dropping people, we will not see a major change in any community."