Hi FACNM Members,
February is a great time to show your home some love. Take some time to identify vulnerable areas that need to be addressed before a wildfire appears. And remember, while you may not see the flames, wind can carry hot embers from burning vegetation or other materials at least a mile or more away from an active wildfire.
This Wildfire Wednesday features:
Wildfire Wednesday live TONIGHT at 6pm: Fire, Wildlife, and the Mexican Spotted Owl.
Start from the top – work down and out: Home hardening basics
FACNM Virtual Lunchroom: Monthly forum for open discussion with FACNM coordinator, members, and leaders.
Best,
Gabe
Wildfire Wednesday Live Tonight at 6pm: Fire, Wildlife, and the Mexican Spotted Owl
Join us Tonight, Wednesday the 17th at 6pm on the Fireshed Facebook page for the next live event with Dr. Gavin Jones, Research Ecologist for the USDA Forest Service.
Megafires are becoming the new normal. How is wildlife responding? How can we better conserve them? Join us for the next Wildfire Wednesday Live event to learn more and chat with Dr. Gavin Jones, research ecologist for the USDA Forest Service.
Dr. Gavin will discuss his research related to fire and wildlife, with a focus on the California and Mexican spotted owl.
Come for the speaker, stay for the interactive Q&A in the chat!
Start from the Top – Work Down and Out: Roofs, Attics, Vents, Skylights, Eaves, etc.
Start with the top of the structure, work down to the ground, and then work out from there. Click on the links to access specific factsheets from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as well as other reputable sources.
Check your roof. Houses with wood shake or shingle roofs are more likely to be destroyed during a wildfire. If possible, consider installing fire-resistant roofing material, such as asphalt composition shingles, metal, concrete or clay tile. A damaged roof with missing shingles and plastic skylights can also give hot embers from a wildfire an easy entry point. Maintain flat roofs, ensuring no cracks or exposed sublayers exist.
Clear your rain gutters, flat roofs, and valleys in pitched roofs. Remove pine needles, leaves, or other materials that may have accumulated over the winter. Embers can easily ignite in dried out debris.
Check your vents. Consider changing out standard ¼-inch mesh with 1/8-inch metal wire mesh (if building codes and required air flow allow) to prevent wildfire embers from penetrating attics, eaves, and crawl spaces. Keep vents clear from debris and do not plant shrubs underneath or in front of vents.
What about walls? Replace exterior wall coverings that are combustible, susceptible to melting, or can readily transmit heat with noncombustible or fire-resistant materials.
Windows can be a weak point. Dual-paned windows with tempered glass will resist greater fire intensities than single pane windows.
Clean your deck. Remove debris from under your deck and from the gaps between deck boards. Replace wooden lattice with properly vented solid skirting or with 1/8-inch wire mesh to keep embers out.
Don't store firewood, gas cans, lawn mowers, cardboard or other combustible materials next to your home. Move these items at least 5-feet away from the outside walls of the house.
Landscaping could light up your home. Think about replacing flammable plants with fire resistant species and replace wood chips with decorative rock for ground cover.
FACNM Virtual Lunchroom: Stay Connected!
If you have questions, recommendations, corny jokes, or would just like to talk about wildfire, please attend the FACNM Virtual Lunchroom. This is a great way to stay connected with the network as we head into the 2021 fire season.
These monthly listening sessions are an open-format Zoom call where you can connect with other FACNM members, leaders, or chat with the FACNM network coordinator, Gabe Kohler. This is a great place to direct friends, family, or neighbors that are interested in learning more about FACNM or wildfire preparedness more generally.
Our first virtual lunchroom will take place on Friday, February 26th, from 12 - 1pm. To join the virtual lunchroom, click here.