"small neighborhoods are dispersed in another-wise rural landscape" is a guarantee for this kind of problem. Reno needs better zoning and planning, as do many other communities in the West.

I live in a similar situation - within the city limits but just a quarter mile from stands of highly flammable chapparal. This has burned twice in the time I have been here, the last in 2004, so we are due for another one any year now.

Basically, be ready to flee. Make a checklist of priorities - people, pets, important papers, photos, and documents. Do keep up on your home insurance, and have a good record of the contents of your home to back up any claims.

Pay attention to your landscaping and get rid of flammable items, like the Norway pine I took out after watching the Malibu fires of 1994. It was a wonderful tree, but I am glad I felled it.

Home construction details are important. Put screening on vents, etc. Most homes burn, I understand, from embers that get inside the home.

Stay flexible. I have had the car loaded up, and ready to drive away, with my sleeping baby daughter. That was about 1995. On the next occasion, in 2004, I had the heavy stuff loading in my car, and DW and DD held down the fort - I had pressing jobs at work. I remember walking into the snack bar and CNN was showing a water drop about 300 yards from my house. My wife, standing outside our home, was doused by the over spray.

There are fire retardant foams that can be applied to a home threatened by fire. I have no experience with these, but they have a good history.

Finally, I take comfort in the fact that most of value of my property lies in the lot, not the house. I would still have equity if the dwelling burned down completely. In a situation like this, I would not indulge in foolish, life-threatening heroics to save a questionable structure.