by Michael Buck
10/7/2021
While no home is 100% resistant to fire damage, there are precautions you can take to help better prepare your home.
This largely means creating a defensible space around your home, using building materials that won’t burn, and regularly maintaining or cleaning certain areas.
Create Defensible Space
This is the buffer surrounding your home, which you build by removing fuel for fire. That includes dead trees, grasses, and weeds, along with other combustible materials (like stacks of fire wood). This space can help fire from spreading near your home.
Use Building Material that Won’t Burn
It’s important to consider the threat of wildfire in your area when selecting materials for your renovation or new build, particularly siding and roofing. For example, non-combustible Hardie® fiber cement exterior products, which won’t ignite when exposed to a direct flame, nor will they contribute fuel to a fire.
Regular Maintenance
While certainly not limited to this list, here are some important maintenance areas to focus on.
- Keep gutters clear of dead vegetation.
- Trim back any trees that overhang your house.
- Ensure any landscaping isn’t in contact with your home and reasonable distance away.
For more specific guidance on protecting your home from wildfire, you should consider checking with your local fire department or your state’s natural resource or fire prevention agency, such as a State Fire Marshal’s office.
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