![Homeowner's Wildfire Mitigation Guide](http://ucanr.edu/sb3/display/photos/110.jpg)
Eaves
Eaves
The under-eave area is vulnerable if embers enter the attic area through any gaps that may exist in this area, or if flames from ignited vegetation, siding, or other near-home combustible materials reach the area. Attic vents are commonly found in the under-eave area, and embers can also enter the attic through these openings (for more about vents, click here).
In an open-eave design, the roof rafters or joists and roof sheathing are visible. With a soffited-eave design, the roof rafters and sheathing are hidden through the use of a panel or boards that extend horizontally from the edge of the roof (typically being attached to the bottom of the fascia) back to the exterior wall. “Boxing-in” the eave when sheathing or boards are attached to the bottom side of the roof rafters in the exterior portion of the eave.
The following photograph is a soffited eave, with a strip vent included.
![Soffited eave Soffited eave](http://ucanr.edu/sites/Wildfire/files/97137display.jpg)
The following two photographs show an open-eave design. The second shows a gap between the roof rafter and the edge of the blocking. This gap would be vulnerable, potentially trapping embers, or allowing them to enter into the attic.
![Open eave - first Open eave - first](http://ucanr.edu/sites/Wildfire/files/97139display.jpg)
![0pen eave - gap - second 0pen eave - gap - second](http://ucanr.edu/sites/Wildfire/files/97140display.jpg)
Many wildfire retrofit guides suggest replacing open-eave framing with either a soffited or boxed-in eave design. Research recently conducted at the University of California does support this finding. The open-eave design tends to trap heat in the under-eave area. If ignition occurs, the fire spreads laterally more quickly than when a soffited-eave construction is used.
![Lateral Spread in Open Eave construction Lateral Spread in Open Eave construction](http://ucanr.edu/sites/Wildfire/files/97138display.jpg)