Protecting Buildings From Wildfire
Some helpful pointers from Ed Scott:
There
are ways to help protect buildings from wildfire. While there
are no guaranteed ways to prevent a Santa Ana wind whipped wildfire from
burning a home or barn, the success rates using the following techniques
are quite impressive.
Many years
ago my Dad worked as the Radio Officer for the City of Glendale in Southern California. The
Bellaire fire was an early, classic Southern California wildfire. It
burned many expensive homes. Dad had a copy of the report on it because he
contributed material on
synchronized communications. Aerial photos in the report told
an important wildfire truth. Nearly every home that had a Spanish
tile survived relatively intact. Nearly every home in the fire's
path that had a shake or composite roof burned down. Here in northern
New Mexico, metal roofs are a part of "Northern New Mexico Style" and
offer similar protection. An adobe or simulated adobe (SuperAdobe,
Earthbag, concrete block with adobe stucco) barn with a tile or metal roof
will likely survive a wildfire. But it is important to consider
that animals inside might perish because of smoke from the fire. Anyone living
where wildfires occur should have Class A Fire Resistive roof on all important
buildings.
A group
of New Mexico Firefighters started a business named Firestop LLC. They
sell products to protect homes from wildfire. The main one is Baricade
which is a Fire Block Gel like professional fire fighters use. It is
sprayed on homes before evacuating and is quite effective. They also sell
pumps and hoses for applying it. Contact info: 505-237-2254 or 866-828-1805,
Firestop, PO Box 14917, Albuquerque, NM 87191, firestop@comcast.net I
have seen similar home fire fighting material from a firefighter in Southern California
but cannot locate it right now. His is a hand push cart with powerful
gas engine-pump and hose. It is intended for people with swimming pools
who have access to lots of fire fighting water. His uses the fire fighting
foam too.
I have been
putting together a list of FireWise plants to use in landscaping for our future
home. My lists has plants that do well at 5000 to 9000 foot elevations
so will not be that useful elsewhere. The Forest Home Fire Safety documents
by F.C. Dennis are some of the most authoritative on this subject:
Any local Extension
service should be able to tell which plants are better in wildfire areas - greater
water content, etc. There are no completely fireproof plants but some
catch and spread fire more slowly so are much safer. Landscaping with
kindling is foolish.
It is possible
to create land, barns and homes that are safer in the face of wildfire and increase
the probability of reducing damages. But wind whipped wildfires are horrific
engines of destruction and there will always be great risk.
Your efforts
are useful. The California wildfires show how important it is to prepare
to avoid the risks of fire.
Ed Scott