August Firewise Tips

More than 3,200 homes were destroyed in fires along the front range of Colorado from 2005 to 2021. Ember intrusion is a primary cause of home ignition and destruction. Thousands of wind-driven embers are generated by burning vegetation and structures, and embers can travel more than a mile.

Confused about where to start with your home wildfire mitigation? Start with reducing your home’s vulnerability to embers. Remember, if your home doesn’t ignite, it can’t burn.

Start on the home itself:

• Remove combustible materials from on top and under decks, including leaf/needle debris and firewood. Remember, furniture and storage can also be combustible. Extend gravel or cement under your deck. Screen or enclose decking.

• Roofs are the most vulnerable surface where embers land. Wood shake roofs are highly flammable. Metal flashing can block embers from lodging and igniting roofing components and siding. Keep your gutters clear of debris.

• Embers can gather under open eaves or enter the attic through soffit vents and ignite. Screen all soffit vents with fine metal mesh, and remove all vegetation directly under eaves.

• Consider building or remodeling with ignition-resistant materials like brick, cement, masonry, or stucco. If you have a wooden fence, it can ignite and carry fire to your home like a fuse. Add a gate, a short section of noncombustible material, or metal flashing where it attaches to your home.

• Embers can enter a home through gaps in doors, including garage doors. Plants or combustible storage near windows can ignite and create enough heat to break windows, allowing embers to enter your home. Use weather stripping for all doors, including the garage door. Use double-pane windows with tempered glass. Remove all combustible materials, like wood mulch and plants, from under windows.

Thanks to West Metro Fire Rescue, Firewise USA, and the Colorado State Forest Service for the tips!