Flying embers from a wildfire can destroy homes up to a mile away. Taking the necessary measures to harden (prepare) your home can help increase its chance of survival when wildfire strikes.
Hardening your home
Here are ways you can harden your home and make it more fire resistant.
14 Important Retrofits to Help Protect Your Home
1. Roof
- The roof is the most vulnerable part of your home. Homes with wood shingle roofs are at high risk of being destroyed during a wildfire. Build your roof or re-roof with materials such as composition, metal, or tile. Block any spaces between roof decking and covering to prevent embers from entering.
2. Vents
- Vents create openings for flying embers to enter the home and ignite a fire.
- Cover all vent openings with 1/16-inch to 1/8-inch metal mesh. Do not use fiberglass or plastic mesh because they can melt and burn.
- Protect vents in eaves or cornices with baffles to block embers (mesh is not enough).
3. Eaves and Soffits
- Eaves and soffits should be protected with ignition-resistant* or non-combustible materials.
4. Windows
- Heat from a wildfire can cause windows to break even before the home is on fire. This allows burning embers to enter and start fires inside. Single-paned and large windows are particularly vulnerable.
- Install dual-paned windows with one pane of tempered glass to reduce the chance of breakage in a fire.
- Consider limiting the size and number of windows that face large areas of vegetation.
5. Fences
- Consider using ignition-resistant* or non-combustible fence materials to protect your home during a wildfire.
- Replacing the section of fence that connects with your home can make a big difference. Wood fences can be ignited by embers and then ‘wick’ flames around to a structure. Interrupting that path with a minimum 5 foot section of noncombustible fence helps protect your home from ignition.
6. Decks
- Surfaces within 10 feet of the building should be built with ignition-resistant*, non-combustible, or other approved materials.
- Ensure that all combustible items are removed from underneath your deck.
7. Rain Gutters
- Keep rain gutters clear of leaves and needles or enclose rain gutters to prevent accumulation of ignitable plant debris.
8. Patio Cover
- Use ignition-resistant* materials for patio coverings as a roof.
9. Chimney
- Cover your chimney and stovepipe outlets with a non-flammable screen. Use metal screen material with openings no smaller than 3/8-inch and no larger than 1/2-inch to prevent embers from escaping and igniting a fire.
10. Garage
- Have a fire extinguisher and tools such as a shovel, rake, bucket, and hose available for fire emergencies.
- Install weather stripping around and under the garage door and eliminate gaps to prevent embers from blowing in.
- Store all combustible and flammable liquids away from ignition sources.
11. Siding
- Wood products such as boards, panels, or shingles are common siding materials. However, they are flammable and not good choices for fire-prone areas.
- Build or remodel your walls with ignition resistant* building materials such as stucco, fiber cement wall siding, fire retardant treated wood, or other approved materials.
12. Driveways and Access Roads
- Driveways should be built and maintained in accordance with state and local codes to allow fire and emergency vehicles to reach your home. Consider maintaining access roads with a minimum of 10 feet of clearance on either side, allowing for two-way traffic.
- Ensure that all gates open inward and are wide enough to accommodate emergency equipment.
- Trim trees and shrubs overhanging the road to allow emergency vehicles to pass.
13. Address
- Make sure your address is clearly visible and legible. Use address numbers that have a high contrast with their background and ensure they are large enough (minimum of 4 inches) to be easily read from the road.
14. Water Supply
- Consider having multiple garden hoses that are long enough to reach all areas of your home and other structures on your property. If you have a pool or well, consider getting a pump that allows you to use these as emergency water sources.
Useful Links
- Fire Information Engine—Preparing Your Home
- University of California—Fire Resources and Information
- Asbestos Natural Disaster Guide
- Asbestos Exposure and Home Remodeling
*Ignition-resistant building materials are those that resist ignition or sustained burning when exposed to embers and small flames from wildfires. Examples of ignition-resistant materials include “non-combustible materials” that don’t burn, exterior grade fire-retardant-treated wood lumber, fire-retardant-treated wood shakes and shingles listed by the State Fire Marshal (SFM) and any material that has been tested in accordance with SFM Standard 12-7A-5.