An estimated 50 to 90 per cent of homes destroyed by wildfires are ignited by embers landing on the roof. If you live near forests or grasslands which are at risk of wildfires, there are things you can do to help protect your home.
“Reducing ignition from wildfire embers requires both nature-based and built solutions,” says Dr. Anabela Bonada, Managing Director, Climate Science at the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo. “For example, limiting fuel sources near the home by clearing natural debris such as dead leaves, as well as installing built solutions such as non-combustible screens and fencing, can help reduce risk.”
During wildfire season, yard maintenance is extremely important. It is recommended that lawns be mowed to less than 10 cm in height, about the height of a pop can, and combustible ground cover such as mulch be kept at least 1.5 metres, or the length of one and a half baseball bats, from the house perimeter. If you’d like to have plants closer to the home, opt for low-growing plants or well-spaced shrubs.
Around the outside of your home, add non-combustible, three-millimetre screens to all external vents, with the exception of the dryer vent. This will help keep embers and small flames from entering the home. For the perimeter, instead of a wood fence, consider installing a fence made of cement fibre boards, metal, chain link or stone to create a non-combustible barrier.
More significant home upgrades can further reduce the risk of ignition from wildfire embers, including installing fire-resistant roofing, non-combustible siding, multi-pane or tempered glass windows and retrofitting all deck components to be fire-rated.
By updating both building and landscaping materials, Canadians living in forested and grassland areas can reduce their home’s wildfire risk by up to 75 per cent.
Learn more ways to keep your home safe during wildfires at intact.ca/protection.
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