How to defend a home from wildfire: UC Berkeley researchers' lessons from infernos

"Lessons learned from catastrophic and deadly wildfires that ravaged California in recent years could help residents and communities in and near forested areas limit damage from future fires, a first-of-its-kind study suggests. And experts say the researchers' conclusion that clearing flammable materials for five feet around houses - the area targeted as Zone 0 under a looming and controversial state-wide regulation - should also help residents in fire-risk zones understand the need for such measures."

"2017 Tubbs Fire, 2019 Kincade Fire and 2020 Glass Fire, plus the 2017 Thomas Fire in Southern California and the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise that together burned some 27,000 structures and killed 109 people. Three key lessons for protecting homes from wildfire emerged, two of them applying to individual homeowners hardening houses against fire, and clearing nearby flammable materials like plants and fences and one requiring communitywide action."

""It isn't just about you doing it," said UC Berkeley fire scientist Michael Gollner, one of the study's authors. "It's really about a communitywide effort. You can do all the right things, and if your neighbors' homes are not protected at all, that can create a really big risk." The researchers concluded that, especially in relatively dense neighborhoods, even if residents take diligent action in defense of their own houses, that may not matter much if their neighbors don't."

Lessons from catastrophic wildfires in California show that clearing flammable materials for five feet around houses (Zone 0) and hardening individual homes can reduce fire risk. Major events including the 2017 Tubbs, 2019 Kincade, 2020 Glass, 2017 Thomas and 2018 Camp Fire burned about 27,000 structures and killed 109 people. Three key protective measures emerged: two focus on homeowners hardening structures and removing nearby flammable plants, fences and sheds, and one requires coordinated communitywide action. Proximity of homes increases transmission of flames and embers, and in dense neighborhoods individual measures alone may have limited impact on a single home's survivability.

Read at The Mercury News