How can I protect my house from wildland fires?
Use fire resistant building material. The roof and exterior of homes should be constructed of non-combustible or fire resistant materials such as fire resistant roofing materials, tile, slate, sheet iron, aluminum, brick, or stone. Wood siding, cedar shakes, exterior wood paneling, and other highly combustible materials should be treated with fire retardant chemicals. If a fire does occur near a home in the wildlands, homeowners are responsible for creating a “defensible space” so that firefighters may safely protect their homes. Some ways of creating defensible space are: cleaning roof surfaces and gutters regularly to avoid accumulation of flammable materials, or Removing portions of any tree extending within 10 feet of the flue opening of any stove or chimney, maintaining a fuel break around all structures, etc. For other fire related questions see the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) FAQ Web site at http://www.nifc.gov/faq.html .
