Wildfires cost the United States more than $3 billion annually. In 2007, wildfires destroyed 5,200 homes, buildings and other structures, burned nine million acres and claimed 19 lives.
More than 90% of U.S. communities at risk for wildfires do not have a community wildfire protection plan. While the International Code Council (ICC) does not advocate building in areas that are prone to wildfires, those who elect to do so need an advantage.
Top 5 Ways to Protect Your Home from Wildfires (according to the ICC):
| 5. | Use fire-resistant building materials – Use non-combustible materials such as tile, slate, stucco, aluminum, brick or stone on the roof and exterior of your home. These materials do not burn. Wood siding, cedar shakes and other highly combustible materials can be treated with fire retardant chemicals for temporary protection. Build decks and porches out of fire-resistant materials as well to help limit the spread of wildfire. |
| 4. | Install residential fire sprinklers – Residential fire sprinkler systems can extinguish fire that may enter the home and also prevent structural fires from spreading to the outside. |
| 3. | Install tempered or multiple pane windows – Windows allow heat to pass through and ignite combustible materials inside. Dual- or triple-pane thermal glass, and fire resistant shutters or drapes, help reduce the wildfire risk. You can also install non-combustible awnings to shield windows and use shatter-resistant glazing such as tempered windows to help prevent breakage from heat and debris. |
| 2. | Do regular yard work and maintenance – Create a defensible space against wildfires. Rake and remove leaves, clear dead brush and dense vegetation and store firewood and other things that burn easily at least 30 feet away from the house. Remove dead or low-hanging tree branches. Cut all tree limbs around your chimney, dead branches that hang over your roof and branches that come in contact with power lines. Regularly clean your roof and gutters. Dead vegetation is tinder that catches fire easily, burns quickly and is a major fire hazard. |
| 1. | Choose native plants to create a firebreak around your home – Your yard can be your first, best stand against a wildfire. You can keep a fire from getting anywhere near the house itself by implementing some simple landscaping choices. Perhaps the most significant improvement you can make is to choose native plants with high moisture content. They are usually more fire-resistant and durable, helping to create a firebreak around your home. Mow your grass and control the height and spread of ground covering vegetation. Keep plants at least 12 to 18 inches away from the house. Trees and shrubs are fine, if well spaced, watered and properly pruned. |
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George Potter
George Potter December 25, 2009 at 10:31 am
The fire resistant building materials and the multipane windows are not only positive measures against wildland fire but are also very positive measures for improving household efficiency (heat, energy, etc.).