Wildfire Safety 2024

Drought conditions and rising temperatures over the past several years have led to an increase in wildfires. If you live in an area prone to wildfires, you are likely aware of how such events can significantly impact your property. You will want to protect your property as much as you can and in this article, we will address a few measures to provide additional protection.

Local Laws

Before we get into more specific tips you will need to know if there are any specific laws or regulations where you live for you to follow regarding wildfires. In the absence of such specific laws, consider the following guidelines to help protect your property:

Defensible Space

One of the most essential aspect of wildfire preparedness is creating a defensible space around your property. Most guidelines for defensible space break down certain measures to take into specific zones; such as into; Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3. While the specifics may vary depending on the source and local regulations, the fundamental principles remain consistent. The primary goal is to manage vegetation and combustible materials around your property to protect your structure from heat and flying embers. This often includes using non-combustible materials and installing screens to prevent embers from entering your building.

Ignition Zone 1: 0’ – 5’

  • Surfaces around your business should be of noncombustible material, such as concrete, flagstone, brick, gravel, or rock.

  • Keep the lawn and plants watered to prevent them from becoming dry and more susceptible to fire spread.

  • Remove plant material that is dry or dead.

  • Plants high in resin are more flammable, such as manzanita, juniper, and pine. Deciduous plants, such as those that lose their leaves for part of the year tend to be more fire resistant.

  • Deck materials should be of non-flammable materials.

  • Prevent combustible materials from being stored under decks.

  • Screen or box in below patios and decks with wire mesh.

  • Remove branches from overhanging structures.

  • Vegetation shall not be allowed within 10 - 15 feet of a chimney outlet.

  • Keep firewood and lumber in Zone 2 which is close to 30 feet from building.

  • Replace combustible fencing, gates, and arbors with noncombustible alternatives.

  • Keep boats, RVs, and vehicles outside of Zone 1.

  • Keep roofs and gutters clean of dead leaves, debris, and pine needles. These items can catch fire from burning embers. Best to install gutter guards to keep debris from collecting in gutters.

  • Gutters, downspouts and connectors should be noncombustible.

  • Install 1/8-inch metal mesh screening in attic, soffit, roof, or crawl space vents to reduce burning embers from entering attic.

 

Zone 2: 5’ – 30’

  • Keep this zone clean and green.

  • Heat and flame sources that are unprotected or unsupervised shall not be permitted within 30 feet of the primary structure.

  • Outdoor fireplaces, permanent barbecues, grills should not be installed within this hazard area.

  • Keep trees and shrubs in well-spaced groupings.

  • Keep trees a minimum of 10’ from each other tree crowns and increase with slope.

  • Prune limbs and branches to a minimum of 6’ from ground. Shorter trees should not be trimmed to exceed 1/3 of tree height.

  • Remove dead or dry leaves and pine needles.

Zone 3: 30’ - 100’

  • Cut or mow grass to a maximum height of four inches or less.

  • Create vertical space between grass, shrubs, and trees. Trim branches up to at least 6 feet from ground. Increase vertical space from shrubs to tree height. If there is a shrub 5’, increase the height to bottom of tree to 15 feet from lowest branch.

  • Create a horizontal space between trees and shrubs. Recommend a 10 feet distance between trees and grouping of shrubs. Horizontal distance between trees and shrubs will depend on slope. Moderate to steep slopes >40% increase distance for trees up to 30 feet and shrub groupings 60 feet.

  • Remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones, and small branches.

  • Clear areas around outbuildings and propane tanks at least 10 to 20 feet.

Building Materials

Building materials can make a big difference to withstand wildfires and burning embers. Use fire-resistant roofing and siding to reduce the risk of your business catching on fire and spreading.

Additional Wildfire Resources:

Wildfires pose significant risks, and it is crucial to understand how to prevent, mitigate, and respond to them effectively. Many states and communities have specific guidelines for wildfire safety that should be followed. If your community or state lacks specific guidelines, the following resources can help you develop a comprehensive wildfire plan:

Communication & Evacuation Plans

Pay attention to your local resources for wildfires that may pop up in your area. Do what you can before a wildfire occurs to better protect your property, but also prepare to evacuate in a timely manner to protect everyone in your business.

 
 
 
Edin Nadarevic