Fire Resistant Homes Part 2

Photo Credit: SK Staff

Fire Resistant Homes Part 2

by Abeer Sweis
September 2, 2022

Last week we discussed making fire resistant building envelopes.
This week we share a few things that involve the home surroundings. Defensible space Designing the area surrounding your home to be free of combustible material, so that fire is less likely to reach the home, is what is referred to as defensible space. Creating a strong defensible space using materials that can withstand falling embers and high radiant temperatures like tile, pavers, concrete, gravel, and pebbles, will slow or stop the spread of wildfire towards your home and help protect it from catching fire. Defensible space is also helpful in allowing firefighters a protected space from which to safely defend your home from fire.
Fire-resistant landscaping and water features can serve as additional protection around your home. The water from your pool and spa can also be used to help extinguish the fire. Location, location, location How a building is sited is key to fire-resistance, and topographical placement is paramount. Fire moves up hillsides four times faster than when burning on level ground. Hot gasses rise in front of the fire along the slope face of a hill, pre-heating upslope vegetation which creates a faster burn and flames that are twice as high.
If you are building a new home and have options of where to place your home footprint, siting your home back from the edge of a hillside will not compromise your view but will give you the space needed to build a firebreak. No strings attached Exposed wooden pergolas, decks, stairs and railings are highly combustible and practically invite a fire to your doorstep. Vines growing on a home are also inviting to fire. When building in high fire zones we are careful to not include exterior combustible attachments, while not compromising on aesthetics. For example, not all woods are highly combustible. Brazilian Ipe and Black Locust can be “Class A” fire-rated, yet still have a warm look.
Decks can be covered on both the top and underside with non-combustible materials, such as stone and fiberglass panels. Steel and concrete also allow us to build beautiful attachments that are significantly more fire-resistant. Next week we will discuss various materials that can be used in high fire zones.