A rather vulnerable element for a home for wildfires is a wooden fence. From time to time, wood fences have been called “wicks” because grass fires can attack the bottom of a wooden fence and then follow it around to the alight the house itself. Many wooden fences abut directly to an outside wall of...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #6 – Ember-Proofing Turbine Vents
There is a wide assortment of rotary turbine roof exhaust vents. The majority are made of metal, generally either sheet metal or aluminum with typically a 12” or 14” louvered turbine that is either wind-driven or power-driven. Usually, a circular opening in cut through the plywood roof decking, allowing a pathway...
Wildfire Prevention Tip #5 – Screen the Ridge Vents
Roof and attic spaces are vented by a variety of different types of vents. The more common ones are soffit vents installed in the eave soffits (usually horizontally installed under eaves); end-gable vents (usually vertically installed in the vertical end gables of a roof); turbine attic vents (usually installed vertically on the sloped portion of...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #4: Get a Home Risk Assessment
With a projected drought of more than 20 years, it’s not really a matter of if, but when, a wildfire event will happen in NWACA.
Homeowners in the Western United States, in Steiner Ranch, Bastrop, and other Central Texas communities, know that any home within miles of such a fire...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #3: Barbecue with Caution
Barbecuing baby-back ribs, brisket, chicken, and other fare in the backyard over a weekend during the summer is normally considered a fine Texas tradition! And more often than not, we probably store our prized barbecue pit/mobile kitchen on our deck…yep, that old wooden deck, and on occasion may have even cooked with our pit...
Wildfire Prevention Tip #2: Firewise Landscaping
Firewise Communities require landscaping around homes to be lean, clean and green. The primary focus on landscaping is in the Home Ignition Zone, of which there are three primary zones:
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- Zone 1 – the home and its immediate surroundings, up to approximately 30 feet away
- Zone...
Wildfire Prevention Tip #1: Hardening Existing Homes
To harden your home against embers and reduce wildfire fuel stores:
- Install screens of 1/8" or smaller opening sizes over attic vents, soffit vents, and other openings into the home
- If you have wooden vents, spray them with fire retardant so that blowing embers cannot ignite them
- Fire-caulk cracks and openings that would allow hot embers...
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Central Texas is in a long drought cycle, despite occasional rain. Dry NWACA landscapes and the homes within are vulnerable to wildfire because we live in a greenbelt with a lot of wildfire fuel in its dead and down material. Our homes are most at risk from flying embers. They can be made relatively safe by removing debris, sealing all points of entry from flying embers, and clearing dead and dry vegetation. If you haven’t yet done so, please get a free home assessment to help you identify your risks. Use the Home Firewise Risk Evaluation form in the Be Involved menu on the home page.