Home Hardening Guide

Download your free DIY checklist

Your Home's Exterior Decides Whether It Survives

Most homes lost to wildfire aren't reached by flames. They're ignited by embers — tiny burning fragments carried by wind, landing in vents, gutters, gaps in siding, and on decks. Defensible space buys your home time. Hardening is what keeps it from igniting when embers arrive.

Here's what matters, what you can handle yourself, and what needs a pro.

Roof

The most important component. Largest surface exposed to falling embers.

  • Class A fire rating required — metal, asphalt composition, concrete tile, clay tile, or slate

  • Cedar shake is the highest-risk roofing material in wildfire country

  • Keep the roof clear of needles and debris, especially in valleys and where roof meets walls

  • Clean gutters — dry leaves in a gutter are one of the most common ignition points

Vents

The most overlooked entry point for embers.

  • Every vent needs 1/8-inch metal mesh screening — attic, soffit, foundation, crawl space, gable, ridge, dryer, exhaust

  • If you can fit a pencil tip through the mesh, it's too large

  • This is a screwdriver-and-hardware-store fix for most vents

Eaves and Soffits

Open eaves expose rafters where embers collect and ignite.

  • Enclosed (boxed) eaves are significantly more resistant than open

  • Soffit material matters — fiber cement or metal over vinyl, which melts

  • Check for gaps, holes, or sagging panels

Siding

The vertical surface most exposed to radiant heat.

  • Non-combustible options: fiber cement, stucco, brick, stone, metal

  • Maintain 6 inches of clearance between ground and the bottom of siding

  • Seal gaps where utility lines or pipes penetrate the wall

Windows and Doors

Single-pane glass shatters at temperatures well below what a vegetation fire produces.

  • Multi-pane or tempered glass resists heat far better than single-pane

  • Install metal screens on exterior of windows to block embers and reduce radiant heat

  • Exterior doors should be solid core, not hollow

  • Check garage door seals — no daylight visible from inside

Decks

A burning deck transmits fire directly to your walls and eaves.

  • Clear everything off and under the deck — no storage, no firewood, no cushions

  • Screen under-deck spaces with 1/8-inch metal mesh

  • Remove combustible attached structures (trellises, arbors, pergolas) connecting to the house

Fencing

A wooden fence attached to your house is a direct fire path to the structure.

  • Fencing within 5 feet of the structure should be non-combustible — metal, stone, masonry

  • If you have wood fencing attached to the house, replace the first 5 feet with metal

  • Clear vegetation along both sides of all fence lines

Chimney

  • Install a spark arrestor (1/2-inch mesh cap) — your chimney produces its own embers

  • Clear all branches within 10 feet of the chimney

Where to Start

This weekend: Clean roof, gutters, and vents. Screen vents with 1/8-inch mesh. Clear under your deck. These are the most common ignition points and most are free.

This month: Address fencing within 5 feet, clear ground-to-siding gap, seal wall penetrations, check windows.

Plan for: Roof replacement (if wood shake), window upgrades, siding replacement, enclosing open eaves. Bigger investments that fundamentally change your home's fire resistance.

Every item on this page is evaluated in your WRAP assessment. Want to know where your home stands?

Based on CSFS, NFPA 1140, and IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home standards.

Questions?