Prepare Your Home for Wildfire Season

As in many other communities, if you are an Orange County homeowner, you may live in an area where there is a risk of wildfire - and if you haven't done so already, it's time to take steps to protect your home should a wildfire occur. 

Fire hardening is key. This proceess can make your home more resistant to wildfires.  It includes various building and landscaping measures you can take, including creating defensible space around your home and using fire- resistant building materials and landscaping, that fire authorities recommend to reduce the risk of ignition from embers, radiant heat, and flames.

CAL FIRE Home Hardening Recommendations

Here are some key strategies from CAL FIRE on how to harden your home against wildfires: 

1. Roofing

• Material: Use Class A fire-rated roofing materials, such as composition shingles, metal, or clay tiles.

• Maintenance: Clear your home's roofs and keep rain gutters clear of leaves, needles, and other debris.

2. Vents

• Screening: To preent embers from entering, cover all vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh to prevent embers from entering.

• Design: Use ember-resistant vents or design vent openings to minimize ember intrusion.

3. Eaves and Soffits

• Enclosure: Enclose eaves and soffits with fire-resistant materials to prevent embers from lodging.

4. Windows and Doors

• Glass: Install dual-pane or tempered glass windows to reduce breakage.

• Frames: Use fire-resistant materials for frames and sills.

• Seals: Ensure doors and windows close tightly and have proper seals.

5. Walls

• Materials: Use non-combustible or ignition-resistant materials for exterior walls, such as stucco, fiber cement, or fire-retardant-treated wood.

6. Decks

• Construction: Build decks with fire-resistant materials and keep the area beneath them clear of flammable materials.

• Spacing: Ensure there are no gaps between deck boards that can trap embers.

7. Fences

• Material: Use non-combustible fencing materials, especially within 5 feet of the home.

• Separation: Create a separation between the fence and the house if using combustible materials.

Landscaping and Defensible Space

Creating defensible space around your home is critical in Orange County and throughout Southern California. This doesn't mean that you have to rip out all your lanscaping. It's more about making adjustments and preventing/removing overgrowth and dead vegetation. CAL FIRE recommends creating and maintaining the following zones: 

Zone 0: Immediate Zone (0-5 feet from the home)

• Clearance: Remove all dead vegetation and flammable materials.

• Plants: Use fire-resistant plants and keep them well-watered and maintained.

Zone 1: Intermediate Zone (5-30 feet from the home)

• Spacing: Ensure proper spacing between trees and shrubs.

• Maintenance: Regularly prune trees and shrubs to remove dead or overhanging branches.

In addition to CAL FIRE's recommendations, local Orange County agencies also have suggestions and resources to help homeowners and landowners to prepare their properties for wildfire season. 

Below are some links from local Orange County fire agencies, including some that are city-specific.  

• CAL FIRE’s Ready for Wildfire: Ready for Wildfire

• Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA): OCFA Home Fire Hardening

• City of Irvine Fire Safety: Irvine Fire Safety

• Laguna Beach Fire Safety: Laguna Beach Fire Safety

• Yorba Linda Fire Safety Council: Yorba Linda Fire Safety

Conclusion

Preparing your home for fire season and creating defensible space is essential for protecting your property and ensuring safety during wildfire events. By following the comprehensive guidelines provided by CAL FIRE and local Orange County cities, you can significantly reduce the risk of fire damage to your home. 

Kristine Marquez is a licensed Realtor®  and serves the Orange County, CA area and excels at advising homeowners about their biggest investment - their home, providing the information and insight homeowners need to make decisions that support their near and long term goals. She and her husband relocated to OC from LA County more than 20 years ago and they have raised their three daughters here and share their home with them, as well as their dogs and cat. She can be reached at kristine@kristinemarquez.com