Carports: Remove flammable items stored in carports.
Decks and elevated porches: Place ⅛ inch metal mesh screening between low- profile decks from surface to ground, to block embers from collecting underneath. Never store flammable materials underneath elevated decks/porches. Remove dead vegetation and debris from under decks/porches, and between deck board joints.
Fencing: Use non-flammable fencing material (metal or masonry) when attaching directly to the siding. Ensure there’s a minimum of at least 5 feet of noncombustible material where it attaches to the siding. Do not add vines or other types of vegetation to fencing material. Wooden fences can carry flames directly to the house.
Fireplace chimneys: Remove debris that may accumulate at roof-to-wall intersections. Embers from a fireplace can exit the chimney and could ignite a wildfire; to prevent this install a spark arrestor. When wildfires are approaching close the damper, fireplace screens and glass doors.
Gutters: Metal roof gutters do not ignite, only the debris material that accumulates in them – that’s why keeping them clean is so important. Vinyl roof gutters can ignite when the debris material is ignited and flaming gutters can fall from the roof edge and land next to the house, which is why the immediate zone needs to be clear of flammable materials.
Roof maintenance: Keep roofs clean from leaf litter and pine needles. Remove all tree limbs within 10 feet of the chimney, or that overhang the roof.
Siding: Use ignition-resistant building materials on exterior walls. Examples include: Stucco, masonry products, plaster and cement. Seal gaps and crevices. Examine the siding for locations where embers could accumulate or lodge and apply caulking at trim-to-siding locations where it is missing or has failed.
