Home Upgrades for Added Wildfire Protection

Level Up for Heat & Flames – Your wildfire protection journey doesn’t end with ember-focused Critical Prep. Before conditions intensify, when heat and flame exposure become a threat, add protection by upgrading key building features and enhancing defensible space within 30 feet. 

Your choices matter – Incorporate these upgrades during new construction for the greatest cost savings and add them during major exterior renovations for strong results. Proactive, research-based actions reduce your home’s wildfire risk and help protect what matters most. 

Step 4: Level Up: Upgrade Key Building Features to Help Withstand Heat & Flames

With ember risks addressed, strengthen key building features with materials that resist radiant heat and direct flames, essential when wildfire intensity and exposure increase. 

1. Enclose Underside of Roof Eaves 

  • Enclose or “box in” open eaves by covering the underside using noncombustible soffit materials, such as fiber-cement, stucco over a noncombustible backer, metal panels, or exterior-grade gypsum board (rated for exterior use). This should fit tightly between the fascia and exterior wall with sealed seams.

  • If adding vents for proper ventilation, use flame- and ember-resistant vents with proper sealants or cover all openings with 1/8-inch metal mesh.

Why? Because of their geometry, radiant heat can build up in an open eave and ignite exposed materials. Flames from nearby fuels such as an ignited shed or vegetation can also ignite eaves.

3. Cover Gutters with Noncombustible Guards 

  • Install noncombustible gutter covers to reduce debris accumulation and maintenance. 

Why? Debris in gutters creates fuel beds for embers and can ignite fascia, roofs, and attics. While regularly cleaning gutters addresses this vulnerability, adding gutter covers reduces maintenance.

5. Upgrade Exterior Doors 

  • Use solid-core exterior doors constructed with noncombustible or ignition-resistant materials like steel, fiberglass, or solid hardwood, and include a metal threshold. 

  • Ensure doors with glass panels are dual-pane tempered glass, with visible corner etching on both.  

  • Alternatively, add a noncombustible storm door as a protective outer layer. 

6. Install Noncombustible Siding 

  • Choose siding made from noncombustible materials, such as fiber-cement, brick, stucco, metal, concrete, or masonry veneer.  

  • Avoid combustible siding made of vinyl, wood, engineered wood, or other wood-based materials – even those labeled “ignition-resistant” by construction or assembly. These materials remain combustible under extreme wildfire conditions. 

Why? Radiant heat, embers, and flames can ignite combustible siding. Once combustible siding ignites, flames can spread reaching other vulnerable areas—like windows and eaves—and can begin a cascade of damage.

7. Build a Noncombustible Deck 

  • For New Decks: Use steel framing, solid (no gaps) noncombustible walking surface materials, such as aluminum, tile, stone veneer, or lightweight concrete. 

  • For Existing Combustible Decks:  

  • Replace combustible deck boards (walking surface) and stairs with solid (no gaps) noncombustible surface materials, such as aluminum, tile, stone veneer, or lightweight concrete. 

  • Use noncombustible hand railings within the first 5 feet of the home. 

  • Apply 6 vertical inches of noncombustible material (e.g., metal flashing or fiber-cement board) at the base of all combustible posts and stairs. 

  • Enclose the underside of elevated decks 4 feet or lower with 1/8-inch metal mesh to prevent ember intrusion.  

  • Continue to maintain a 0-5 Foot Noncombustible Zone around all sides of the deck and stairs. 

Why? Decks attached to the home are highly vulnerable to ignition and can act as a fuel pathway, leading fire directly to the structure. Eliminating the deck’s combustible material reduces this risk.

2. Upgrade Skylights 

  • Replace domed, plastic skylights with flat, multipaned tempered glass models.  

  • If operable, protect the opening with 1/8-inch metal mesh screen. 

Why? Plastic skylights can melt or break under intense heat, allowing flames or embers to enter.

4. Upgrade Windows  

  • Replace all exterior windows with units featuring at least 2 panes of tempered glass, verified by visible corner etching on both panes. 

  • Glass blocks are also a fire-resistant option. 

Why? During a wildfire, windows are susceptible to flames and radiant heat. Upgrading windows can help keep flames from entering and igniting materials inside the home.

Step 5: Enhance Defensible Space to Protect from Heat & Flame Exposure

After reinforcing your home’s key features, extend your protection by managing larger defensible space strategies that reduce the intensity of nearby flames and radiant heat. 

Structures like sheds, pergolas and playsets can produce intense radiant heat, flames, and embers when they burn. Moving these accessory structures farther away better protects the home.

1. Relocate Structures Further Away from the Home 

  • Remove or place all structures (e.g., sheds, pergolas, playsets, detached carports, garages, or ADUs) at least 30 feet from your home.

2. Eliminate Back-To-Back Combustible Fencing 

  • Within 5 feet of the building, Critical Prep already requires noncombustible fencing. 

  • In the 5-30 foot zone, remove or modify any combustible fences that run parallel (back-to-back) and closer than 5 feet apart.  

  • Replace one fence with a noncombustible option as needed, and coordinate with neighbors if fences are shared.