Wildfire Defense To Help Your Home

No home is fireproof, but by taking precautions, you can help prepare your home.

Here are some ways to make your home and property more resistant to wildfire:

• Remove dead vegetation from plants and lower branches from tall trees.
• Keep the gutters, roof and outdoor spaces free of debris like leaves and twigs.
• Clear out window screens and attic vents.
• Move firewood at least 30 feet from the house.
• Use roofing materials with a Class A fire rating (the highest).
• Install metal angle flashing at the edge of the roof.
• Box-in eaves that have an open construction (i.e., where rafter tails are visible).
• Install metal flashing where wood decking meets the siding (if the siding is combustible).
• Replace single-pane windows with multi-pane, tempered glass windows with screens.

Create Defensible Space Zones

According to readyforwildfire.org, an important step in reducing wildfire risk to your home is the creation of defensible space zones. Think of defensible space zones as a layer of protection between your house or business and the approaching wildfire.

Zone 0: 0 feet to 5 feet

The Immediate Zone is closest to your house and the most vulnerable — it should be most aggressively maintained for fire resistance.

• Remove any combustible outdoor furniture. Replace jute or fiber door mats with fire resistant materials.
• Remove or relocate all combustible materials, including garbage and recycling containers, lumber and trash
  
• Clean all fallen leaves and needles regularly. Repeat often during fire season.
• Remove tree limbs that extend into this zone. No vegetation is recommended within five feet of structures.
• Do not store firewood, lumber or combustibles under decks or overhangs.
• Use only inorganic, non-combustible mulches such as stone or gravel.

Zone 1: 5 feet to 30 feet

• The Intermediate Zone may include buildings, structures, decks, etc. Keep this area “Lean, Clean, and Green.”
• Remove dead plants, grass dry leaves and pine needles from your yard, roof and rain gutters.
• Trim trees regularly to keep branches a minimum of 10 feet from other trees.
• Remove branches that hang over your roof, and keep dead branches 10 feet away from your chimney.
• Relocate wood piles into Zone 2, or at least 30 feet from any structures.
• Remove vegetation and items that could catch fire from around and under decks.

Zone 2: 30 feet to 100 feet

The Extended Zone may even include space more than 100 feet away if required by steep slopes, nearby vegetation conditions, and/or your local fire department.

• Cut or mow annual grass down to a maximum height of four inches.
  
• Remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones and small branches. However, they may be permitted to a depth of three inches if erosion control is an issue.

Check with your local fire department for any additional defensible space or weed abatement ordinances.