Wooden Fences:
If a wooden fence is attached to the house, replace at least the first 5 feet nearest to the house with a noncombustible section of fencing, such as brick, rock or metal. As an alternative, consider installing a noncombustible gate at this location.
Vents:
Burning embers were blown through this vent screen and a fire started in the crawl space of this home.
Attic, soffit and foundation vents on homes are potential entry points for flying embers. All vent openings need to be covered with ¼-inch or smaller noncorrosive wire mesh. Do not use fiberglass or plastic mesh because they can melt or burn. Covering vents with 1/8-inch noncorrosive metal mesh is preferred, but the mesh is easily clogged and requires more maintenance. Do not permanently cover vents, as they play a critical role in preventing wood rot in the house.
Exterior Siding:
Using wood shingles for siding is a bad idea in high fire hazard areas.
The siding covering the exterior walls of a home is particularly vulnerable to radiated heat and direct flame contact. Wood products, such as boards, panels and shingles, are the most common siding materials. However, they are combustible and not good choices for fire prone areas. Noncombustible siding materials, such as stucco, brick, stone and cement board, are better choices. Log homes that utilize fire-rated chinking or notched logs are also good choices.
Eaves:
The eaves are a vulnerable part of the home.
The eaves of a home act as a heat trap for hot air and gases, greatly increasing the chance of ignition. Covering the underside of the eave with a soffit, or “boxing in” the eave, allows the heat to escape. Enclose eaves with fiber cement board or ⅝ -inch-think, high-grade plywood.
Open eaves on the left and boxed-in eaves pictured on the right.
Rain Gutter:
Rain gutters filled with leaves and ignited by embers have been responsible for destroying homes.
Rain gutters trap flying embers. Always keep your rain gutters free of leaves, needles, and debris. Check and clean them several times during fire season. Gutter covers can help, but still require maintenance. In some instances, rain gutters can be removed as long as roof runoff water can be carried away without damaging the house exterior or foundation, and without causing erosion. Gutter removal may also affect erosion control Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Roof:
Homes with wood shake and shingle roofs are much more likely to be destroyed during wildfire.
The roof is the most vulnerable part of a home to wildfire. It is also the best predictor of home survivability during a wildfire. Homes with wood-shake or shingle roofs are much more likely to be destroyed during a wildfire than homes with a fire-resistant roof.
The only long term solution to reducing the wood shake and shingle hazard is replacing the roof with a fire resistant type.
If you have a wood-shake or shingle roof, consider replacing it with a Class-A fire-resistant type. Fire-resistant roofing materials include composition, metal, cement, and tile. Contact the local fire district or department about roofing requirements for your area. Openings in the roof materials, such as the open ends of barrel tiles, should be plugged to prevent ember entry and debris accumulation. Regardless of the type of roof you have, keep it free of fallen leaves, needles, and branches.
Firewood:
Stacking firewood next to the house is a bad idea. Burning embers from a nearby wildfire could ignite the stack.
Firewood stacks should be located at least 30 feet from the home. If the stacks are stored uphill from the house, make sure that burning firewood cannot roll downhill and ignite the home.
Fortunately, this firewood stack was located far away from the house when it burned.
Flammable Items:
Keep the porch, deck, and other areas of the home free of easily combustible materials. Decorative items such as baskets, dried flower arrangements, and pine cones, have been known to ignite homes when burning embers land on them. Also, keep these areas free of newspapers, exposed mail, and debris.
Wooden Fence:
If a wooden fence is attached to the house, replace at least the first 5 feet nearest to the house with a noncombustible section of fencing, such as brick, rock or metal. As an alternative, consider installing a noncombustible gate at this location.
Windows:
The radiant heat from this wildfire was so intense, it broke the glass in these windows.
Windows are one of the weakest parts of a home and usually break before the structure ignites. This allows burning embers and heat to enter the home, which may lead to internal ignition. Single-paned and large windows are particularly vulnerable. In high fire hazard areas, install windows that are at least double-paned and that utilize tempered glass for the exterior pane. The type of window frame (wood, aluminum or vinyl) is not critical. If using vinyl, make sure it has metal reinforcement members. Closable, solid exterior shutters can provide additional window protection.
Decks:
Decks can trap the heat of an oncoming wildfire.
Since decks are often positioned on the downhill side of the home, they can trap heat, flames and embers from an oncoming wildfire. The hazard increases when leaves, dried grass, debris and other combustible materials are allowed to accumulate under the deck.
The underside of decks should be enclosed.
Decks using wood and nonfire-resistant-rated wood-plastic materials are combustible. Consider replacing them with newer fire-resistant-rated types. Routinely remove debris (needles, leaves, twigs, etc.) from the gaps between deck boards. Replace deck materials in poor condition. The sides below low decks should be enclosed with fire-resistant materials and properly vented. However, this may result in increased land coverage for your property and may require a permit. As an alternative, enclose the deck sides with ¼-inch or smaller wire mesh to prevent debris from accumulating underneath. The area under higher decks should be kept free of combustible materials.