Siding:

Stone siding, concrete block, or poured in place concrete have the best chance of not catching fire and this is why we recommend these for the exterior of your home. Stucco and metal are next best, and wood and vinyl are the most flammable. Some dense woods, such as IPE or Greenheart are actually quite fire resistant, and are a much better choice than softwoods such as fir or pine. If you want the look of wood you might also consider using Hardie-board which is a durable and fire-resistant cement board which simulates wood siding, Be aware that wooden decks, sheds and trellis that are attached to the home are a potential conduit for fire to enter your home. Metal sheds and stone decks are not only more fire-resistant but last longer and require less maintenance.

In recent years, we are seeing more and more use of home fire sprinkler systems. While these are a great option for fires that occur within the home, they aren’t going to do much good against wildfires, which ignite the exterior of the home. Fire sprinklers are not really designed to save the structure but rather to give the occupants more time to safely evacuate. In a wildfire, this doesn’t really help life safety, because the outside environment in inherently unsafe.

Barricade Fire Gel

There’s one more product I’d like to make you aware of called Barricade Fire Gel. Although I haven’t tried it, based on my initial research it seems promising. Barricade is supposed to create a non-toxic fire-resistant barrier around your home.

Last words: don’t try to stay

By all means implement the strategies I’ve covered, but I don’t want anyone to think that because their home is fire-resistant that they can stay in place and survive a fire. If you know a fire is coming you need to evacuate as early as possible. Don’t go to sleep if wildfires are in the area thinking the smoke detectors will wake you up.

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