LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – It’s summer in Tahoe after a historically low snowpack winter. It’s not the time to panic; it’s time to ask ourselves: what’s my home hardening strategy?  

When preparing for wildfire, we need to remember that fire is a natural part of the ecosystem. This is why Land Managers use prescribed fire during windows with safe conditions to do so. Prescribed fire transforms forest clutter into carbon-rich soil using strategy and control, creating healthy space and habitat in Tahoe’s forests. 

However, the threat of wildfire significantly increases once we get to summer weather and drier conditions. When the risk is too high for prescribed fire, agencies focus their efforts on fighting wildfires and continuing mechanical fuel treatments when possible. With limited resources to prevent and fight wildfires, it is up to residents to adapt to living with fire – starting at home.  

Ember-resistance is key 

Wildfire research has recognized embers as one of the major causes of loss of residential structures in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) communities (Nazare et al., 2021). Another study with the National Institute of Standards and Technology discovered that during fires in the WUI, most structures are bombarded by ember showers (Manzello et al., 2002). These findings, and more, have shown how effective it is to make improvements (or retrofits) to homes to improve their ember resistance. 

The figure above displays how firebrand (ember) behavior causes spot fires (Gellerman & Chien, 2023).

As seen above, embers are known to cause spot fires on the ground, as well. Spot fires can turn into larger fires with enough fuel, oxygen, and heat. This is why we create fire-defensible space and remove or reduce the fuel that could ignite other vegetation or structures. These types of fuel are referred to as ladder fuels, defined as live and dead vegetation that bridge the gap between the surface and the canopy.  The presence of ladder fuels often turns low-severity surface fires into high-severity canopy fires, which can pose great risks to communities in the WUI (Menning and Stephens, 2007; Ottmar et al., 2007).  

Applying the science  

Understanding the science behind wildfire risk can be overwhelming on its own. Add on evacuation planning and just living our lives, it can seem impossible to be fully prepared. The good news? There are simple steps proven to help reduce wildfire risk in WUI communities.  

Home Hardening: 

  • Remove lattice and debris from below and around decks 
  • Replace vent meshing with 1/8 inch mesh/screen  
  • Install ember-resistant materials in 0-5 foot zone, such as gravel 
  • Screen chimneys with spark arrestors  
  • Remove or replace wood fencing within 5 feet of the house 

Defensible Space: 

  • Clean up pine needles and cones 
  • Remove debris beneath decks 
  • Move woodpiles 30 feet away from your house  
  • Clear pine needles from roofs and gutters 
  • Ensure dead plant debris in the 0-5 foot zone is removed/cut back 

Before wildfire gets to your neighborhood, take some time to think about your home hardening and defensible space strategy. Walk around your home and look for ways embers could get in and accumulate. Notice which plants could be ladder fuels and where combustible pine needles and cones tend to pile up. Once these risks are identified, take action to address them as soon as possible. Schedule a defensible space inspection with your fire district, talk to your neighbors, learn more about wildfire, and remember that being wildfire prepared requires a multi-faceted approach. For more information on how to prepare for wildfire in the Tahoe region, visit www.tahoelivingwithfire.com/get-involved. 

Sources & further reading 

By Kelsey Stalker, Fire Adapted Communities Program Assistant at the Tahoe Resource Conservation District