Harden Your Home!
Harden Your Home!
This April, harden your home's exterior against embers.
We must all do this work to protect the community.
The Almeda Fire, like many other devastating fires across the west in recent years, made the impression that such fires within our communities are unstoppable. But such destruction is not inevitable. When each of us takes responsibility to do our part, we will make our town dramatically safer against wildfire.
It is no longer a question of whether a wildfire will ever be upon us, but when it will happen again. Embers account for 90% of home ignitions during a wildfire! Compared to the recovery costs of an Almeda-scale fire, investing to make every Ashland home safe from windblown embers would truly be the deal of the century.
A typical Ashland street can be an effective fire break if there’s nothing wind-blown embers can ignite on the other side of the road.
Complete these 3 high-priority actions first:
| 1. | Clean your roof and gutters of leaves and needles. Can’t do this yourself? Ask a neighbor for help or hire someone to do the work. |
| 2. | Keep wood decks clear of leaf and needle debris above and below the deck surface. Do the same around the base of walls and storage areas. |
| 3. | Relocate woodpiles at least 30-feet from buildings and out from under decks. If you cannot move woodpiles 30-feet from buildings, place inside an enclosed structure, or store as far away from all structures as possible and cover with a fireproof tarp that can resist embers. |
Complete These Tasks Next:
| 1. | Cover exterior vent openings with 1/8-inch metal mesh screens to resist ember penetrations into the home. This includes attic, crawlspace or basement vents* |
| 2. | It's critical to keep the space under decks clean of debris. If your deck is less than 2-feet off the ground, it's recommended to fully enclose the space under the deck, or screen-in with 1/8-inch metal-mesh. This keeps embers out. |
| 3. | Replace wood fencing with metal (or other non-combustible materials) for the last 5-feet of any fence that attaches to a house, detached garage, or outbuilding.** |
*rolls of 1/8” screen is sold at hardware and big box stores, or can be ordered online. Consider buying a roll and sharing it with your neighbors! Also, remember to clean out lint build-up from dryer vents!
**several stores in the Rogue Valley sell non-combustible gates or panels that can replace wood fence attachments against the home. Fencing contractors can construct non-combustible alternatives as well.
If Your Budget Permits:
| 1. | Install metal flashing between wood siding and decks. Consider replacing the first 1-2 deck boards closest to the home with fire-resistant products. |
| 2. | Install 8-12-inch high metal flashing along walls where wood siding intersects roofing. |
| 3. | Keep your roof in good condition. Keep your eye out for warping or missing shingles and repair as needed. |
When It Comes Time to Replace:
| 1. | When replacing siding, upgrade to fire resistant materials like fiber cement, stucco, masonry, or plaster. |
| 2. | New windows should have metal frames, be tempered double pane, and have metal-mesh screens. |
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