Tame your fire fears by making your home unappealing to flames

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Published Date 10/18/2023

When fire hits trees and grasslands, it takes on a life of its own and stopping it is no easy task. With the wildfire season now in full swing, if you live in the American West, fireproofing your house should likely top your list of outdoor chores.

Realtor.com’s Larissa Runkle, who has now lived through several seasons of Colorado wildfires has learned what is—and isn’t—effective in home preparedness, and offers this: “A quick note to those who might be panic-scrolling when fires are in the area: Wildfire home preparation isn’t something to do when a fire threat is imminent. If that’s your situation, immediately check in with local authorities and prepare for an evacuation.”

So how about a to-do list for those who aren’t in immediate danger of a fire but rather want to harden their home in the event of future fires? While you can’t fully fireproof your home, making it less susceptible to fire can help shore up vulnerable areas.

First, look up — because when optimizing your home for protection from a wildfire, the first thing to consider is where a fire is most likely to start: your roof.

“Burning embers ignite 90% of all structure fires,” says meteorologist/survival expert Bruce Jones. “Frequently propelled by fiery winds of 30 to 80 mph, embers can lodge under roof shingles or blow inside roof and eave vents, igniting your home.”

He suggests investing in components with a Class A rating to harden your roof. These come in various materials, including metal, concrete, clay tile, or even fiberglass and asphalt shingles. These materials are not inexpensive, but they’re a worthy investment that might save your home from catching fire.

Embers also love to linger in vents and even blow into an attic or crawl space. This can lead to homes catching fire from the inside out. To take protective measures to address this issue, install flame- and ember-resistant vents. These vents protect against ember casts and direct flame impingement. But be sure to consult with a contractor or architect before installing ember-resistant vents to ensure that your home will still have adequate ventilation.

Your gutters need you now. It may sound simplistic, but making sure your gutters are clean and empty can limit the topic of limiting flammable material near your roof system. One fire damage and restoration expert Runkle consulted with said this:“Removing organic material from roofs and gutters eliminates potential fuel for sparks. This will help prevent embers from landing in debris-filled gutters and igniting.” And if you’re not a big fan of climbing a ladder, consider installing gutter guards instead.

It may sound like something from a sci-fi movie, but it’s wise to learn about “zone zero” — something wildfire experts use to refer to an imaginary 5-foot-deep perimeter around your home, ideally containing zero fuel sources. Look around your home, and see if there is anything resembling a “swarm of wood matches all landing here,” says expert Clark Stevens. Those potential matches could be combustibles (such as propane tanks) or flammable materials (think plants or wooden furniture). Remove them from your zone zero, placing them as far from the house as possible. And don’t panic about things that won’t ignite.

“No amount of wood matches will light a large wood surface that is not cracked or fuzzy,” says Stevens. “So don’t freak out about your wood siding; it will be fine. But do freak if you (still) haven’t replaced your wood shake roofing.”

Once your zone zero is established, focus on getting rid of any dry or dead organic material that could be a fuel source for fires, such as small trees like scrub oak and ground fuel like pine needles. Make sure to cut branches hanging over the roof. Then prune the rest of your trees to avoid a “flame ladder” —which is how fires climb up structures and ignite them. Prune branches at least 6 feet off the ground, minimizing the potential for a flame ladder.

Maintaining healthy soil and plants might sound more like gardening advice, but it’s actually one of the best things you can do to minimize fire risk. “Healthy soils (which require vegetative cover) hold moisture, and soil moisture reduces ignitions,” says Stevens. “So having a blank moonscape beyond your zone zero isn’t helpful.” No, wildflower preserves aren’t going to hurt your home’s wildfire protection, assuming they don’t rub right up against your house or contain tons of dead material. And don’t be tempted to start cutting down trees left and right, especially if they’re healthy. “It is impossible to set a healthy, native tree that’s well maintained (free of deadwood) on fire from the fire bees in the air,” says Stevens. “The embers fall through to the ground, so look at the ground first and avoid ignition there.”

Realtor, TBWS

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