7 Ways to Protect Your Home from Wildfires

Another way to check your wildfire risk is through RiskFactor.com, developed by First Street Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping people understand climate risk. ​

Here are some other ways to prevent your home from being damaged by wildfires: ​

Landscaping​

1. Clear the perimeter ​

Experts encourage homeowners in fire-prone areas to create a “defensible space,” a 5-foot radius around a home. Wind-blown embers can collect and cause damage in this space. ​

“You want an ember-resistant zone,” says Alister Watt, chief product officer for the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, a research organization that tests building structures against wind-driven rain, hail and wildfire.​

That 5-foot perimeter should not have anything combustible in it — such as landscaping plants — even under a deck. Many homeowners fill the space with gravel or decorative stones. ​ ​

2. Use plants that are more firesafe than others​

Keep in mind, there are no true fire-resistant plants since any dead or dried-out plants make great tinder and should be removed throughout the year. ​

But if you do want plants in the area 5 to 30 feet from the house, ReadyForWildfire.org’s Retrofit Guide suggests incorporating only a few into the landscape and grouping them in islands with gaps in between to avoid creating a path for fire to follow.​

Choose plants that have high leaf-moisture content such as succulents, salvia, monkey flower and rhododendron. ​As for bushes and trees, opt for nonoily, deciduous trees (those that drop their leaves) with large leaves and/or a high water content. In the West, that might be native redwoods, maples, citrus, dogwood or ash.​

Home structure​

3. Replace siding ​

New homes in California, for example, are now largely built with noncombustible material, such as stucco or a cement-based product like fiber cement, which won’t ignite or burn. ​

Keep in mind that the space between the ground and the house is an area likely to collect embers during a fire. If your existing home has combustible siding like cedar or vinyl, you’ll need at least a 6-inch portion from the ground up built with a product that won’t burn, such as concrete.

​4. Get a fire-resistant roof ​

Roofs made of concrete or clay tile, fiberglass asphalt composition shingles or metal are the most fire resistant, according to the retrofit guide. A cedar shake roof gets the worst rating for fire. If you’re retrofitting an existing roof to try and fend off fire damage, Ruthroff says a roofer will need to determine whether your roof can handle the weight of concrete or other tiles. ​

Regardless of roof type, make sure to check for spaces (like between the roof and the eaves) where rodents or birds might have literally squirreled away debris — which can easily ignite. This material can compromise your roof’s fire rating. ​

5. Screen outdoor vents​

Vents from attics, gables or under the eaves are a prime spot for embers to creep in. “Ninety percent of homes are ignited by embers. Most people have a big wall of fire in their heads when they imagine this, but embers can come from miles away,” Watt says. He recommends putting a screen with 1/8-inch openings over vents. “Take a golf tee, and if it goes through the screen’s hole, it’s too big,” he says. ​

6. Invest in tempered glass windows​

Extreme heat from a wildfire will cause glass to break. Tempered glass windows, which are heat treated, will “shatter in place and shatter at a higher temperature when exposed to fire,” Ruthroff says.​

Insurance​ ​

7. Check your auto and homeowners policies​

Besch was lucky — he had home insurance that helped him rebuild. But that’s not the case for many homeowners, Ruthroff says. Even if your insurance covers rebuilding post-fire, "make sure you have enough insurance money to rebuild a home at today’s value,” he says. ​

A standard homeowners policy should cover wildfire destruction and damage to your home and outbuildings, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The policy should also cover your belongings and reimburse you for living expenses while you’re displaced. Check your auto insurance in regard to any vehicle damage. ​

One thing to be aware of: Because wildfires have become so prevalent, many insurers are dropping coverage. This has sent consumers running to options such as the FAIR Plan, a pool of insurers that provides basic fire insurance for high-risk properties. Unfortunately, this option can be expensive and may provide only limited coverage. ​ ​​