Tips to Protect Your Home From Wildfires
Last Updated: Apr 9, 2025In 2020, wildfires across the United States burned more than ever before - they consumed over 10 million acres of land. Wildfires can affect all different landscapes; dry crop fields are affected by drought and virgin forests in the mountains. Even suburban areas where million-dollar homes went up in flames. While statistics are not yet complete for the current year, it often seems like almost the entire western part of the country is on fire. As global warming leads to higher temperatures while also affecting rainfall patterns and soil humidity, intense wildfires will, unfortunately, be likely in the coming years.
Table of Contents
- Can You Fireproof Your Yard?
- What Can You Do To Reduce Roof Flammability?
- What Are Home Siding Flammability Considerations?
- Can Windows and Doors Help With Fire Resistance?
- How Can You Protect Roof Vents From Fire?
The best thing any homeowner can do to protect their family from a wildfire is to stay informed. The Geospatial Multiagency Coordination is a government agency that maintains a real-time map of current fires across the US. Natural Resources Canada maps the level of fire risk and recent fire burning across the country. Periodically checking that map is an important step to keep your family protected. There are several things to help prepare before evacuation is necessary to keep your home protected from the devastating effects of wildfires. Here are some suggestions about how you can sustainably fireproof your home.
What Can You Do To Reduce Roof Flammability?
When a wildfire is raging near your home, many fire departments recommend spraying your roof with water. This spraying will help to avoid sparks and ash from leading to further damage. Of course, this mostly applies to shingle and cedar slate roofs. Roofs made from metal or terra cotta tile are naturally fire-resistant. If you live in a fire-prone area, it might be a good idea to opt for a sustainable and fireproof roofing option - for example, metal, green or living roofs, or terra cotta tiles.
Can Windows and Doors Help With Fire Resistance?
Even for homes with metal roofs and brick siding, windows can be the weak link in protecting your home against wildfires. Intense heat from the outside will most likely shatter single pane glass. Double glazed glass windows with tempered glass on the exterior will increase your home's energy efficiency and thermal performance. But it will also be much more resistant to the heat of a fire raging outside (and three or four panes are even better).
You could also opt for roll-down metal window coverings that can withstand several hours of the most intense heat. Alpine Doors offers metal window shutters that automatically release during a fire event by melting a fusible link.
While you could also opt for metal door shutters, it might make more sense to opt for a metal door. While solid wood doors will most likely withstand heavy flames for up to 20 minutes, a metal door will ultimately be fireproof. If you do not like the look of metal, you can face the door with any other material. This material includes a thin layer of wood that would burn away without affecting the rest of your home.
How Can You Protect Roof Vents From Fire?
A tiny ember blown by a firestorm into your attic vent could ignite the insulation in your home and quickly lead to a whole house fire. Care needs to be taken to protect all of the holes that could bring fire into your home. Fire dampers with fusible links (like those with the window guards) are a great option. Metal wire screens that are at least 1/8th of an inch will also help stop larger embers and ash from being sucked into your home.
Around 4.5 million homes in the United States are at a high or extreme risk of suffering significant damage from wildfire. The simple strategies listed above will go a long way to help minimize the vulnerability of your home to the growing threat of wildfires.
Tobias Roberts
Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.
