Homeowners play an essential role in whether or not their home will survive in a wildfire. Simple actions taken ahead of time can reduce the risk of damage or destruction to a home, provide a better chance for fire fighters to defend the home, and reduce the risk of spreading fire to neighbors.
Studies of recent wildland fire behavior by the USFS show that the majority of losses due to wildfire are in the interface area between homes and wildlands. Rather than focusing on natural vegetation like greenbelts and forested areas, it may be more appropriate to focus first on things like wood piles, decks and landscaping close to homes.
Additionally, research on how homes burn shows that embers are the number one cause of homes being damaged or destroyed. When reducing the risk to your home, consider the areas on and around your home where embers might collect if they are being blown by the wind.
To see a demonstration of how blowing embers affect a fire-resistant house vs one that hasn’t incorporated fire-resistant features, see the link below.
https://ibhs.org/wildfire/wildfire-demo-2019/ [1]
Skagit CD offers FREE wildfire risk assessments at your property. We’ll look at your specific risk and talk about what you can do to reduce it. You will receive a follow-up report summarizing the recommendations and providing additional resources to help you be more informed.
To schedule a free risk assessment for your property, contact our Wildfire Resilience Coordinator at jcoe@whatcomcd.org [2] or 360-526-2381x106
Helpful Resources for Homeowners
Habitat Friendly Wildfire Preparedness [3]
Fire-Resistant Landscaping: http://www.firefree.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Fire-Resistant-Plants.pdf [5]
NFPA Wildfire Preparedness Tips https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Wildfire-safety-tips [7]