Hardening your Home

a presentation by Craig Jones

Oak to Timberline Fire Safe Council

Board and Public Meeting

Bear Mountain Library

May 24, 2018

6:00 pm

 

Defensible Space…And More

Fear the Ember

Outsmart the Ember

 

 

 

  1. Introduction

 

Living in the Wildland Urban Interface – the WUI, comes with so many benefits. You know – you live here. However, like many places (tornado alley, hurricane prone areas, earthquake and tsunami zones, flood plains), DISASTER PREPAREDNES is unfortunately of utmost importance.

 

So, with all the information out there, on websites, in brochures and newsletters, from workshops and talking to neighbors, where do you begin to set your priorities? The answer to this is not a simple one but this presentation should hopefully help with……

 

YOUR WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND OVERALL PREPAREDNESS PLANNING

 

  1. Introduction to Fire Behavior

 

  1. The BIG 3

    1. Fuels

    2. Weather

    3. Topography

 

  1. Breaking up the continuity of fuels

    1. How is Heat Transferred during a wildfire

    2. Vertical (ladder fuels)

    3. Horizontal (ground fuels, structure & building components)

 

  1. Wildfire Mitigation Preparedness

 

  1. Mitigation Components

    1. Insurance

    2. Defensible Space

    3. Hardening Your Home

    4. Pre-Event Planning and Evacuation

 

  1. Mitigation Action

    1. Insurance

      1. Check your Coverage A – Policy Limit

      2. Key Take-Away: Current replacement costs may be significantly more than replacing your existing home

 

    1. Defensible Space

      1. Zone 1A, Zone 1, Zone 2,

 

    1. Hardening Your Home

      1. Roof and Eaves

        1. Roof Design, Type & Condition

        2. Gutters, Skylights, Solar Panels

 

      1. Siding, Vents and Openings

        1. Windows

        2. Base of Walls

        3. Siding Type and Condition

        4. Vent Screening, Garage & Dog Doors

 

      1. Decks, Porches and Structure Attachments

      2. Accessory Structures and Personal Property Assessment

        1. Detached Garages, Barns, Shops, other

        2. Firewood

        3. Propane Tanks

        4. Others: Boats, RV’s

 

    1. Pre-Event Planning and Evacuation

      1. Insurance

      2. Evacuation Plan

        1. Escape Routes

        2. Address Displayed

      3. Personal Belongings (Evac. Kit)

        1. Insurance Docs., Prescriptions, Passports, Birth Certs. etc.)

      4. Communication Plan

      5. Pets

      6. Discussions with Your Neighbors

      7. Leaving Town

 

 

  1. Resources

 

https://www.oaktotimberline.org/

 

https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8393.pdf

 

http://wildlandfirersg.org/

 

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire/Firewise-USA

 

http://wildfiretoday.com/tag/jack-cohen/

 

http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Hardening-Your-Home/

 

www.readyforwildfire.org/Ready-Set-Go-Campaign/

Oak to Timberline Fire Safe Council

5

oaktotimberline.org                               PO Box 762, Squaw Valley, CA 93675

Funding provided by a grant from the Cooperative Fire Program of the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Pacific Southwest Region, through the California Fire Safe Council. 

 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. 

 

The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the California Fire Safe Council, U.S. Forest Service or the U.S. Government. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the California Fire Safe Council or the U.S. Government.