Home Hardening
& Fire Preparedness
Home Hardening & Fire Preparedness
Protecting your home starts long before a wildfire arrives. This section covers practical steps you can take to reduce the risk—like creating defensible space, using fire-resistant materials, and maintaining your property. Explore the resources below to harden your home and get prepared.
1
How Homes Ignite
Buildings ignite during wildfires as a result of one or more of these three basic wildfire exposures: embers (also called firebrands), radiant heat, and direct flame contact. The most common source of home ignition is from embers. It is critical to ensure that your home can resist ember ignition by installing proper vents, removing combustible materials next to your home, sealing any opening into the home, enclosing soffits, installing tempered glass double pane windows and correctly installing gutters and gutter guards.
CREDIT: firesafemarin.org
2
Zone 0
The area nearest your house, from 0′ to 5′, including the surfaces of the structure, decks, and steps, is the most vulnerable to embers that accumulate at the base of a wall and/or ignitions when embers ignite vegetation or other combustible materials located close to the structure. We call this “ZONE ZERO,” because it’s ground-zero when it comes to protecting your home from embers. There should be ZERO combustibles in this zone!
CREDIT: firesafemarin.org
3
Vents
Vents on homes create openings for flying embers. Ember entry through vents can result in ignition of combustible materials in the attic or crawl space, and result in a building burning from the inside out. The importance of ember and flame entry into vents during wildfires has resulted in the development of commercially available vents designed to resist the intrusion of embers and flame, and recommendations for new or retrofit vents to protect existing openings.
CREDIT: firesafemarin.org
4
Soffits and Eaves
Eaves are located at the down-slope edge of a sloped roof and serve as the transition between the roof and fascia/wall. The soffit is the material beneath the eaves that connects the far edge of your roof to the exterior wall of your house. Eaves and Soffits are vulnerable to damage from wildfires due to accumulation of hot gasses. Enclosed soffits can protect eaves and should be constructed with non combustible materials for protection from heat and flame.
CREDIT: firesafemarin.org
5
Gutters
Combustible debris such as leaves and pine needles can accumulate in gutters. If ignited, combustible debris in the gutter may ignite the edge of the roof covering. Depending on the condition of the wood and presence (or absence) of metal flashing at the edge of the roof, debris in the gutter may make it easier for fire to enter the attic. Gutters should be constructed of metal and screened to keep out debris. Proper flashing between roof and gutter is very important.
CREDIT: firesafemarin.org
6
Roofs
An untreated wood shake or shingle roof covering is the greatest threat to a home. All roofs should have Class A rated materials for ember resistance. Wind-blown debris will accumulate on roofs and in gutters. Dry debris can be ignited by wind-blown embers. Regularly remove vegetative debris from your roof and gutters. Chimneys require a spark arrestor screen with openings no smaller than 3/8 – inch and no larger than 1/2.
CREDIT: firesafemarin.org
7
Defensible Space
A coupled approach, using a fire-hardened home and good defensible space, is necessary to provide the greatest level of protection. Preparing and maintaining adequate defensible space will guard against flame contact and radiant exposures from nearby vegetation. The Home Ignition Zone is an area approximately 100 feet around a home including the home itself. This is the area where defensible space work needs to take place.
CREDIT: firesafemarin.org
8
Fire Smart Landscaping
Fire Smart Landscaping design requires attention to spacing. Plants should not be placed close to structures. Horizontal and vertical spacing between plants and trees is essential to reduce the ability of fire to spread. Although all plants can burn, attention should be given to plant selection and size when mature. Terrain and slope steepness impact the space needed between plants and trees to reduce flame spread.
CREDIT: firesafemarin.org
9
Wildfire Prepared Home
Wildfire Prepared Home™ was developed to help you protect your home from wildfire. The requirements described here are based on years of scientific research by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Our science has demonstrated that, when applied together, these specific actions reduce the wildfire risk to your home and property. All the requirements below must be met for your home to qualify. Once all actions are completed, you can then apply for a designation.
CREDIT: firesafemarin.org