Wildfires

What can be done to improve the chances that a home will survive wildfire? The good news is that research has demonstrated that by careful attention to the selection, location and maintenance of vegetation and other combustibles on the property (i.e., the defensible space on the property), implementing retrofits to “harden” the home, and implementing an ongoing maintenance program, it is possible to substantially improve the odds that a home will survive a future wildfire. These actions do not have to be costly, but they do require an understanding of the three types of exposures a home will experience when threatened by a wildfire.

Available Resources

Reducing the Vulnerabilities of Buildings to Wildfires Video Presentation
Speaker Yana Valachovic 07/23/2020

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Fire Resources and Information

Disaster Safety Organization
Prepare for Wildfires

National Fire Protection Association
Public Education - Research Fact Sheet Series

UCANR Publication 8393
Home Survival in Wildfire-Prone Areas

UCANR Publication 8228
Home Landscaping for Fire