The materials, design and construction of your home play a large role in your home's likelihood of surviving a wildfire. There are three ways your home can be exposed to wildfire: direct flames from a wildfire, radiant heat from nearby burning plants or structures, and flying embers. Flying embers from a wildfire can destroy homes up to a mile away and are responsible for the destruction of most homes during a wildfire. Take the necessary steps to prepare your home for wildfire.

How to Harden Your Home

“Home hardening” is the process of preparing your home for wildfire by proactively safeguarding its most vulnerable components and retrofitting them with fire-resistant building materials. Here are some recommendations to get you started:

• Roof
  • The roof is the most vulnerable part of your home. Homes with wood or shingle roofs have a higher risk of being destroyed by a wildfire. Build your roof or re-roof with materials such as composition, metal, clay or tile.
  • Block any spaces between roof decking and coverings to prevent embers from catching fire.
• Vents
  • Vents on homes create openings for flying embers.
  • Use ember- and flame-resistant vents whenever possible.
  • Be sure to cover all vent openings with a 1/16-inch to 1/8-inch metal mesh. Don't use a fiberglass or plastic mesh because they can melt and burn.
• Eaves & Soffits
  • Eaves should be boxed in (soffited-eave design) and protected with ignition-resistant or non-combustible materials.
• Windows
  • Heat from a wildfire can cause windows to break even before the fire reaches your home. This may allow burning embers to enter your home. Single-pane and large windows are particularly vulnerable.
  • Install dual-pane windows with one pane of tempered glass to reduce the chance of breakage in a fire.
  • Install screens in all usable windows to increase ember resistance and decrease radiant heat exposure
• Walls
  • 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—especially when neighboring homes are within 30-feet of your home.
  • Be sure to extend materials from the foundation to the roof.
• Decks
  • Decks within 10 feet of a structure should be built with ignition-resistant, non-combustible, or other approved materials.
  • Create an ember-resistant zone around and under all decks and make sure that all combustible items are removed from underneath your deck.
  • If a deck overhangs a slope, create and maintain a defensible space downslope from the deck to reduce the chances of flames reaching the underside of the deck.
• Rain Gutters
  • Install a corrosion-resistant and non-combustible metal drip edge for additional protection.
  • Use a non-combustible gutter cover to prevent buildup of debris and vegetation in the gutter.
• Patio Cover
  •  Use the same fire-resistant materials for the patio covers as the roof.
• 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.
  • Close the fireplace flue during fire season when the chimney is not being used.
• Garage
  • Have a fire extinguisher and tools such as a shovel, rake, bucket and hose available for fire emergencies.
  • Add a battery back-up to the garage door motor so that the garage can easily be operated if the power is out.
  • Install weather stripping around and under the garage door to prevent embers from blowing in.
  • Store flammable liquids away from ignition sources.
• Fences
  • Separate your fence from your house or upgrade the last five feet to a non-combustible material to reduce the chances of the fence bringing fire to your home.
• Driveways & 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 at least 10 feet of clearance on either side to allow for two-way traffic.
  • Ensure that all gates open inward and are wide enough to accommodate emergency equipment.
  • Trim trees overhanging the road for emergency vehicles.
• Address
  • Make sure your address is clearly visible from the road.
• 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.