"Think about your own home. How often do you blow the leaves off your roof? Or sweep the debris off your front porch? Those are important because if an ember lands on them, they can catch fire. But we aren't doing that kind of maintenance on a regular basis. Anywhere we have debris accumulating on roofs, porches, decks, patio furniture - you might see piles of leaf debris on the corners of your deck - those are areas where embers are going to catch."
"People were really great about removing branches within 10 feet of their chimney. They were good at having address signs that were 4 inches tall so firefighters and ambulances can find their homes. They were good at having intact metal screens on the windows, which reduces embers going into homes. Their roofs were in fairly good condition."
"Between 2018 and 2023, more than 41,000 structures in California were destroyed and 152 lives were lost in wildfires. Inspections of 176 homes in the Lake Tahoe area and Santa Cruz Mountains found only 2% met or came close to meeting state standards for reducing fire risk."
Between 2018 and 2023, more than 41,000 structures in California were destroyed and 152 people died in wildfires. Inspections of 176 homes in the Lake Tahoe area and Santa Cruz Mountains showed only 2% met or nearly met state standards for reducing fire risk. Common maintenance failures include accumulated leaf and debris on roofs, porches, decks, and patio furniture that allow ember ignition. Many homeowners remove branches near chimneys and maintain visible address signs and metal window screens, and roofs were often in fairly good condition. Time constraints and uncertainty about needed actions contribute to poor upkeep, while regular sweeping and debris removal can reduce ember-driven ignitions.
Read at The Mercury News
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