1 or Both
PROTECT THE
PERIMETER
Remove combustible materials in the 0-5ft zone around the home and implement non-combustible replacements
Apply water or fire gel to this zone to render any combustible materials non-combustible during the wildfire encounter
Implementing a Non-Combustible Zone (NCZ) around your home removes the path flames can take to your house and prevents embers from igniting fuel next to the house, greatly reducing the risk of ignition from both direct flame and radiant heat.
FORTIFY
THE ROOF
Make sure your roof is Class-A rated
Protect the roof edge with Class-A compliant gutter guards
Building codes in fire-prone areas typically require Class-A roofing material such as asphalt composite shingles, metal, or clay. This makes the roof a strong part of the home, however, unmaintained gutters pose a significant risk by collecting debris at the roof edge where embers are likely to collect as well.
BLOCK
EMBERS
Repair any unintended gaps in the siding or trim
Replace any inadequate vents with fire rated upgrades
Once we prevent embers from igniting fuel next to the house and ensure that the roof can resist ignition when embers land on the house, the remaining concern is keeping embers out of the house. Gaps and unintended holes in the siding as well as old or inadequate vents present opportunities for embers to enter especially hot and dry places like the attic.
Demonstrations from the IBHS show that the main cause of home ignition is from ember showers rather than direct flames.
"Embers cause up to 90% of home & business ignitions during wildfire events."
-Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Our systems address this critical protection zone where embers accumulate and cause various ignition points on and around the home.
“If we can prevent that from happening, we can save people's homes.” - IBHS
It is a common misconception that composite shingle roofs are highly flammable. Most composite shingle roofing materials are actually Class A Fire rated. This means they are indeed fire resistant as shown in the video below. Make sure your roof is made of Class A Fired rated materials.
What's the difference between defensible space, the Home Ignition Zone, and the Non-Combustile Zone?
Firewise terminology can be confusing. Here's our definitions of some of the most important terms:
Defensible Space: The area surrounding a house where fire fuel, such as trees and other vegetation, has been managed to mitigate the spread of fire. Defensible space is one of the most important factors in determining a house’s ability to survive a wildfire, according to the Building America Solution Center. Some definitions of defensible space include a safe area for firefighters to defend the building. Experiments, models and post-fire studies have shown homes ignite due to the condition of the home and everything around it, according to the National Fire Protection Agency.
Home Ignition Zone (HIZ): Often used interchangeably with defensible space, this the area up to 200 ft from the foundation of a home. We like this term for how it highlights the impact of ignition potential on the home. The HIZ is broken up into 3 zones, according to the NFPA: Immediate (0-5 ft), Intermediate (5-30 ft), and Extended (30-100 ft, up to 200 ft). Each has recommended practices specific to that zone which help maximize risk reduction.
Non-Combustible Zone (NCZ): Another name for the Immediate Zone describing how the area within a 5 ft perimeter of your home must be completely free from combustible materials. The main objective of this zone is to "reduce the potential that embers landing near a building will ignite fuels and expose the area around a home to a direct flame" according to the NFPA. This is the most important zone to take immediate action on as it is the most vulnerable to embers. Their recommendation is to start with the house itself then move into the landscaping section of the Immediate Zone.
Embers: These are burning pieces of airborne wood and/or vegetation that can be carried more than a mile through the wind can cause spot fires and ignite homes, debris and other objects.
