Home Assessment Checklist WI LDLAN D FI R E ASSESSM E NT PROG RAM

This checklist serves as a guide that both the assessor and resident can use to determine problem areas around the home that can be retrofitted or restructured to mitigate damage when a wildfire strikes. Many of the items listed in the checklist are free or low cost modifications; however, some items may require more significant investment in order to transform the home to be fire adapted. A key for estimating costs is included for most items. Remember, if it’s predictable, it’s preventable!

Resident Name: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________________ Email: ________________________________________________ Address of Home Being Assessed: ________________________________________________________________________________ City: ___________________________________________________ State: _______________________ Zip: _____________________

Fire Department Name:_ ________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:_______________________________________________ Date of the Assessment: ___________________________________ Assessor(s): Print Name: _ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Print Name:__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Key $

less $500

$$

$500 - $1,000

$$$ $1,000 - $5,000 $$$$ more $5,000

Information and resources were utilized from but not endorsed by the following agencies: • Institute for Business and Home Safety • International Association of Fire Chiefs, Ready, Set, Go! Program • Federal Emergency Management Agency, Ready.gov • Center for Fire Research and Outreach, College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkley

Inside the Home o Review your homeowner’s insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home’s contents. Free o Ensure that your family members know where your gas, electric, and water main shut-off controls are and how to use them. Free o Consider installing heavy, fire-resistant drapes throughout the home. $ – $$ o Regularly dispose of newspapers and rubbish at an approved site. Follow local burning regulations. Free o Install a screen in front of each fireplace or wood stove. $ o Store the ashes from your fireplace and wood stove (also applies to outdoor grill) in a metal container and dispose of only when cold. Free o Create a family disaster plan and make a supply kit to be prepared for wildfire and potential evacuations. Free o Maintain electric and gas stoves in good operating condition. Free – $ o Be sure security bars on your windows or doors have an approved quick release mechanism. Free – $ o Install a solid door with self-closing hinges between living areas and the garage. $ o Weather seal the perimeter of garage doors. $ o If you do not have a garage door, consider installing one to help protect combustible materials stored there. $$ o Store gasoline, oily rags, and other flammable materials in approved safety cans. Place cans in a safe location away from the base of buildings. Free – $ o Keep combustibles away from ignition sources such as water heaters. Free o Have tools, such as a shovel, rake, bucket, and hoe, available for emergencies. $ o Have fire extinguishers on-hand (kitchen, garage, living room) and train your family how to use them. $

Additional Recommendations:









Outside the Home Defensible space is comprised of three zones. The selection and maintenance of vegetation and other combustible items in these zones will determine how adequate your defensible space is.

ZONE 1: 0-5 feet around the perimeter of the home ($ – $$) o Install hard surfaces in this zone, such as a concrete walkway, or use noncombustible mulch products, such as rock. o Keep any lawn well irrigated and only use low-growing herbaceous (non-woody) plants. Shrubs and trees are not recommended in this zone. o Remove dead vegetation and implement a maintenance strategy to keep the area clear of dead plant materials.

ZONE 2: 5-30 feet around the perimeter of the home or to the property line (Free – $$$) o Create islands or groupings of vegetation to form a discontinuous path of vegetation to make it difficult for the fire to burn directly to your home. o Remove dead plant material and tree branches. Remove lower tree branches and shrubs positioned under the tree line so that a surface fire cannot reach the tree crown. o Maintain trees in this zone with a minimum horizontal spacing of 10 feet between crowns, with the distance increasing with slope. o Prune limbs and branches to a height of up to 15 feet. For shorter trees, pruning should not exceed 1/3rd of the tree height. o Relocate propane tanks larger than 125 gallons (water capacity) at least 30 feet from your house. Create 10 feet of Zone 1 defensible space around the tank. Consider surrounding three sides with a noncombustible wall to help protect it.

ZONE 3: 30-100 feet around the perimeter of the home or to the property line (Free – $$$) o Trees located in this zone should be maintained with a minimum horizontal spacing of 10 feet between crowns, with this distance increasing with slope. o Ladder fuels under taller trees should be eliminated. o Create and maintain separation between groupings of shrubs and bushes. o Remove dead plant material from all vegetation. o Vegetation management beyond 100 feet should be considered if the home is located on a steep slope.

SLOPE ($ – $$) o If your home is located in the middle of a steep slope or at the top of a slope with minimal setback, increase vegetation management in the 5 to 100 feet zones. o Consider installing a noncombustible wall within 15-20 feet of the downslope side of your home, particularly if you have a deck overhanging the slope.

ROOF COVERING ($$$$) o Choose a product-rated Class A roof because it offers the best protection. Non-rated products include untreated wood shakes or shingles.

ROOF EDGES (Free – $$) o Clean out gutters of all debris and install a drip edge at the roof edge to protect any exposed roof sheathing or fascia. o Remove any debris that has accumulated at roof-to-wall intersections, for example, near a dormer or a chimney. o Consider replacing combustible siding at any “intersection” location with a noncombustible or ignition-resistant siding product. o Metal step flashing extending up from the roof a minimum of six inches can be installed at the base of combustible siding in lieu of replacing it (integrate with siding to avoid moisture-related degradation problems). If necessary, consult a roofing professional.

EAVES ($ – $$$) o Consider converting open-eave framing to a boxed-in or soffit-eave design. o Maintain venting in the soffit material and between the soffit and attic space. o If there are vents in the eaves, cover them with 1/8th inch mesh corrosion-resistant metal screening. o For open-eave framing, purchase or make closure devices for vents from 1/4th inch plywood or thin sheet metal. Install devices when a wildfire threatens and remove or open them after the threat has passed.

ROOF VENTS (Free – $$) o Make sure attic vents located on your roof that are covered with screening are free of debris. o If there is no screening, install 1/8th inch corrosion-resistant metal mesh screening. o If you have a turbine vent, enter the attic and inspect the location where the vent attaches to the roof. Attach 1/8th inch screening to the roof sheathing if none is present. o If you have dormer-type, through-roof vents, replace them with low-profile vents. o If you have ridge vents, they should be rated for high-wind/rain exposure.

SKYLIGHTS (Free – $$) o Remove accumulated debris, move and prune vegetation, and trim overhanging limbs next to and on the skylight. o Consider replacing dome-type skylights with a flat, tempered glass skylight. o Keep operable skylights closed when a wildfire threatens.

CHIMNEY (Free – $) o Cover your chimney and stovepipe outlets with a non-flammable, corrosion-resistant screen of 1/4th inch wire mesh or smaller. o Make sure that your chimney is at least 10 feet away from any tree branches.

SIDING (Free – $$$$) o If siding extends to grade, consult with a contractor to determine if your foundation would allow some siding at the base of the wall to be removed to obtain a six inch clearance. o Examine your siding for locations where embers could accumulate or lodge. o Apply caulk at trim-to-siding locations where it is missing or has failed. o If you re-side your house, use a noncombustible or ignition resistant material for the siding and corner trim.

WINDOWS ($ – $$$$) o Consider replacing single-pane windows with dual or multi-pane windows, preferably ones with tempered glass. o Install window screening to improve performance against radiant heat exposures and to minimize the size and number of embers that could enter the home.

FOUNDATIONS (Free – $$$) o Enclose open crawl space style foundations with a noncombustible material. This process is sometimes called “skirting.” o Ventilate enclosed spaces according to local building code requirements. o All foundation vents should have 1/8th inch corrosion-resistant metal screening that is in good condition. o Remove combustible materials stored in the crawl space or from under the building if you have a non-skirted, open crawl space style foundation.

VENTS ON THE EXTERIOR WALLS (Free – $$) o Some foundation vents are closeable. These vents should be closed when a wildfire threatens, but should be opened after the wildfire has passed. o If vents are not closeable, consider using closure devices. There are commercially available options or you can make your own and store in a place where they can be easily retrieved and installed when wildfire threatens and removed after it passes. o Check with your local fire or building official to see if any vents designed to resist embers/flames have been approved for use in your area. o Dryer vents and wall-mounted make-up air openings for furnaces should be screened with 1/8th inch corrosion-resistant metal mesh. o Consider installing a dryer vent that is closed unless the dryer is running.

DECK (Free – $$$) o If your deck overhangs a steep slope, be sure your defensible space is sufficient to minimize flames spreading up the hill and reduce flame length to minimize the chance for a flame contact exposure to the underside of the deck. o Consider building a noncombustible wall across the slope approximately 15 - 20 feet from the edge of the deck. o If your deck overlooks a wooded area, the trees should be thinned and ladder fuels removed to minimize the chance of fire moving into the upper portion of the trees.

o Do not store combustible materials under your deck. o If you build or replace a deck, use noncombustible materials. o Regularly clean out debris from between deck board joints and other areas where debris has accumulated. o Check the condition of deck boards and structural support members – replace or repair rotted or degraded members. o When a wildfire threatens, move combustible items like deck furniture and cushions inside or as far away from the house as possible. o When a wildfire threatens, grill tanks should be moved off the deck and at least 30 feet away from the home.

FENCE ($ – $$) o Replace any combustible fencing that attaches directly to your home with a noncombustible section that is at least five feet long. o If metal wire is used, do not allow climbing vegetation to grow on the fence – this would defeat the purpose of the noncombustible material.

DETACHED STRUCTURES (Free – $$) o Relocate detached structures at least 30 feet from your home. o Create defensible space around secondary structures. o Use noncombustible materials for secondary structures, such as a play set or a trellis. o Carefully maintain vegetation used on trellis-type structures, pruning regularly to remove dead vegetation.

SUPPRESSION (Free – $$) o Make sure your address marking is at least three inches tall or larger to ensure it is readable. o Make sure your driveway is at least 12 feet wide or more and unobstructed. o If you have gates, make sure they are wide enough to accommodate emergency equipment. o Trim your trees and shrubs overhanging the road to a minimum of 13½ feet to allow emergency vehicles to pass.

Additional Recommendations: