11 Tips to Protect Your Home Against Wildfires
Sometimes it seems like a day doesn't go by without hearing about a new wildfire breaking out somewhere in the country. California, in particular, is a hotspot due to the constant drought which creates a perfect equation for fires to break out. Even now, there are multiple, massive wildfires so severe in California that residents are being forced to flee their homes for safer locations.
With the changing climate across the country causing fires more often, it is critical to protect yourself and your home from their devastating effects as much as possible. Here are some helpful tips to better protect your home from fire damage or wildfire damage.
Wildfire Home Protection Tips
1. Make Your Property into a Safe Zone
One of the first steps in wildfire home protection is creating a safe zone around your property. Creating a safe zone means minimizing, if not fully eliminating, the amount of "fuel" your property lends to wildfires. Trees, landscaping, woodpiles, and anything else that is flammable can act as kindling for a fire once it has started.
To create a safe zone, introduce native vegetation, keeping trees 10 feet apart. Remove any dead or dying trees and shrubbery, and keep all trees and shrubs properly pruned. For pruning, branches should be more than 6 inches off the ground, and any shrubs under trees should stay under 18 inches high. Beyond that, flammable liquids should be stored in the appropriate containers and places, and keep your woodpiles a safe distance from your home. You also want to avoid having a wood fence directly connected to your home.
For heavily wooded areas, make your safe zone stretch 50 feet from your home, while less wooded areas can extend out 30 feet. However, California residents require a 100-foot perimeter for a safe zone.
2. Consider a Pool, Cistern, or Rain Barrels
While it is not one of the methods for fireproofing your home from wildfires, having some sort of water source on your property is great for protection. If you have a pool, for example, firefighters can use a gas-powered fire hose to use the pool's water to help fight a fire. That doesn't mean you have to go and install a pool just for that benefit, however. Rain barrels and cisterns can do the same thing. It can be a bit of a project, but it's something to consider if you live in a heavily wooded or fire-prone area.
3. Use Fire-Resistant Roofing Shingles
One of your home's best defenses is its roof. Sparks and any burning debris can be lifted and carried by the wind up to a half-mile away and onto your roof. Because of that risk, you’ll want to choose a roof that is more fire resistant than traditional roofing options like asphalt shingles and wood shakes or wood shingles.
4. Take Care of Your Gutters
A fire resistant roof can help protect your gutters, but you should also invest in noncombustible gutter covers. Beyond that, you want to ensure that your gutters are clean, and you should routinely remove any leaves and other debris that can easily be ignited by a spark or flame.
5. Install Heavy-Duty Windows
If there is a wildfire, another key to home protection is having the right windows. Replace single-pane windows with dual- or multi-pane windows with tempered glass if possible. You should also have plastic-clad fiberglass window screens installed. These features will help reduce the radiant exposure to the glass and your home, and keep fire embers from entering the house.
6. Use Noncombustible Materials
Aside from having a fire-rated roof, you should also invest in other fire-rated home materials as well. Everything from your siding to your decking should use fireproof materials, especially if you live in an area that is prone to fires. The more fireproof you can make your home, the less likely you will suffer severe loss of property.
7. Keep Siding a Few Inches off the Ground
The ground and grass around your home is something that you cannot fireproof. To help minimize the risk of burning grass close to your home, be sure to keep the siding around your home at least 6 inches from the ground. If you use fireproof siding, this is less of a concern. However, you still want to ensure there is nothing flammable near the foundation or base of your home.
8. Choose Your Fence Wisely
Another way to fireproof your home from wildfires is to choose fireproof fencing. Choosing the right fence is especially important if your fence is right up against your home–an untreated wood or vinyl fence can become a fire hazard, and will lead to your home to being exposed to fire as well.
9. Protect Your Vents and Eaves
The vents and eaves of your home also require protection from fire embers. For vents, you need to install a 1/8-inch mesh screen cover, just as you would for your windows. Likewise, for eaves, you should box them in to create soffited eaves.
10. Maintain an Irrigated Greenbelt
It is vital to keep an irrigated greenbelt at least 30 feet around your home, and grass and plants should be watered regularly. It can be difficult in places like California, but using a soaker hose, drip irrigation, or collected shower water are all options to help maintain vegetation.. Regardless of the method, keeping the area irrigated can help slow down a fire.
11. Choose the Right Plants and Foliage
While choosing plants may not sound like a form of wildfire home protection, the right plants can help act as a barrier and slow fires down, as long as they are watered regularly. To find the right plants, it is important to talk to landscaping experts and do the proper research. However, to maintain these plants, you will need to take the time to water them,otherwise, they just become fuel for a fire.
