Interactive Home Fire Protection Checklist

Home Fire Protection

An interactive checklist to harden your home and create defensible space.

Landscape (Defensible Space)

Creating a buffer between your home and a potential wildfire is your first line of defense. As you complete items, your progress will be tracked below.

Zone 0: Immediate Zone (0-5 ft)

Remove All Combustibles: Clear materials like mulch, plants, firewood, and patio furniture from within 5 feet of the house and decks.

Use Hardscaping: Consider replacing flammable landscaping with non-combustible materials like gravel, concrete, or pavers.

Clear Gutters and Roof: Regularly clean all leaves, pine needles, and other debris.

Keep Plants Trimmed: Ensure any plants in this zone are low-growing, well-irrigated, and free of dead material.

Zone 1: Lean, Clean, & Green (5-30 ft)

Space Trees and Shrubs: Maintain horizontal and vertical spacing between plants to disrupt fire paths.

Remove Dead Vegetation: Regularly clear dead trees, shrubs, grasses, and leaves.

Prune Trees: Trim tree branches to a height of 6-10 feet from the ground.

Mow Grass: Keep grasses and weeds mowed to a maximum of 4 inches.

Relocate Firewood: Store firewood and other combustibles at least 30 feet from the house.

Zone 2: Reduced Fuel Zone (30-100+ ft)

Thin Vegetation: Reduce the density of trees and shrubs to slow the spread of fire.

Increase Spacing: Create larger gaps between plants and groups of plants.

Remove Ladder Fuels: Eliminate small trees/shrubs that could carry fire into the tree canopy.

Mow Grasses: Continue to keep grasses and weeds short.

House Protection (Hardening Your Home)

Strengthening your home’s structure against embers and radiant heat is a critical step in fire protection.

Roof and Vents

Fire-Resistant Roofing: Install a Class A fire-rated roof (e.g., asphalt shingles, metal, tile).

Cover Vents: Cover all exterior vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh to block embers.

Enclose Eaves and Soffits: Box in open eaves to prevent embers from getting trapped.

Walls and Windows

Fire-Resistant Siding: Use materials like stucco, fiber cement, or non-combustible stone/brick.

Multi-Pane Windows: Install double-pane, tempered glass windows to resist breakage from heat.

Install Window Screens: Ensure fine mesh screens are on all operable windows.

Decks and Porches

Fire-Resistant Decking: Use ignition-resistant lumber or rated composite materials.

Enclose Undersides: Box in the areas under decks and porches with fire-resistant materials.

Clear Under Deck: Keep this area clear of all combustible materials and debris.

Emergency Planning & Maintenance

Being prepared to act quickly and maintaining your defenses are just as important as the physical preparations.

Assemble Emergency Kit: Prepare a “go-bag” with essentials like water, food, first aid, and documents.

Develop Evacuation Plan: Create and practice a plan with all household members and pets.

Stay Informed: Sign up for local emergency alerts and monitor fire weather conditions.

Test Smoke Alarms: Install and test smoke/CO alarms regularly. Change batteries annually.

Maintain Fire Extinguishers: Keep working ABC-type fire extinguishers available and know how to use them.

Ensure Address Visibility: Make sure your house number is large and clearly visible from the street.

Review Insurance: Ensure your homeowner’s insurance policy is up-to-date and covers wildfire damage.