The year 2015 set new wildfire records in the United States. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, almost 10 million acres burned. Many thousands of homes burned in these fires, each one full of memories – now reduced to ashes. Over seventy fire fighters perished in their efforts to combat wildfires in the US in 2015, not to mention citizen deaths.
If you live in a seasonally dry climate with abundant flammable vegetation, your residence is vulnerable to wildland fire. Lightning, accidents, and criminals ignite these fires every year. Fire is unpredictable. If there are weaknesses in your home’s fire protection scheme, fire can gain the upper hand because of some overlooked or seemingly inconsequential factor. Don’t let that happen to you.
As a homeowner, you can take a number of steps to protect your property and reduce the spread of wildland fires. This guide provides information and lists clear action steps you can take to avoid becoming a statistic. Keep reading for more information.
Surviving a Wildfire
Two factors have emerged as the primary determinants of a home’s ability to survive wildfires: choosing fire-resistant roofing material and creating a wildfire defensible zone. First, it is important to choose a fire-resistant roofing material that is rated a minimum of class C when building a house in or near forests or grasslands. (Class B and A offer progressively better protection.) Avoid flammable materials such as wood or shake shingles. Second, create a fuel free zone around your home where fire has nothing to burn – this is called the defensible space. By creating a wildfire defensible zone, homes are less vulnerable from this naturally occurring phenomenon and the chance of spreading wildfires is greatly reduced.
If you are a homeowner and you are interested in protecting your home from wildfires, follow the FireWise guidelines. While you may not be able to accomplish all of these measures, each will increase your home’s safety and survival during a wildfire. Start with the easiest and least expensive actions. Begin your work closest to the house and move outward. Keep working on the more difficult items until you have completed your entire project.
Choose surrounding vegetation wisely: maintain a greenbelt (irrigated if possible) immediately around your home using grass, a flower garden and/or fire-resistant ornamental shrubbery. An alternative is rock or other non-combustible material, which may be preferable if your house is made of wood or other flammable materials. Avoid using bark or wood chip mulch in this area.