Ember Proof Your Home! Here’s How & Why!
An Op-ed by TG Fugate
Many communities in the western U.S. are fire-prone, as are many other areas in the world. Such regions will always face wildfire, and will likely experience an increased number of extreme wildfire events in the near future.
During a wildfire, thousands of burning embers, or “firebrands”, can be carried by the wind and can rain down on homes up to three miles distant. These embers can be parts of twigs or branches, pine cones, or wood shingles torn from other burning rooftops. Such embers are not a rare or unusual occurrence with wildfires; actually, they are the leading cause of home ignitions during a wildfire. In fact, most (at least 50%; estimates reach as high as 90%) home ignitions during wildfires are started by burning embers that have been transported through the air from an active wildfire (Source: Mell et al. 2010).
Of late, the deep hollows and steep mountain sides of Southeastern Kentucky too are facing extended periods of dry weather and swifter winds as a result of Climate Change. During the historical “burning” period shortly after the annual “leaf-fall”! As few as twenty years ago, Southeast Kentucky’s fires were generally a nuance to air quality in stricken areas but the loss of a home due to Wildfire was rare.
Current conditions remind many Southeast Kentuckians of the nearby Great Smoky Mountains Wildfires, also known as the Gatlinburg Wildfires, a complex of wildfires that began in late November of 2016.
By December 12, the fires had burned more than 15 square miles inside the national park, and 6,000 acres in other parts of the tourist area. More than 14,000 area residents and tourists were forced to evacuate, while over 2,000 buildings were damaged and/or destroyed!
The Great Smoky Mountains Wildfire was the deadliest wildfire within Tennessee—ever; and it remains the deadliest Wildfire in the eastern U.S. since the Great Fires of 1947, which killed 16 people in Maine.
♠ Please watch the short video released by the Bureau of Land Management below (you will need to adjust the volume though; it’s located on the far bottom right of the Video box) by Clicking the burning house image:
Risks Addressed, Top to Bottom:
First, Asphalt Shingles: There are three main fire ratings for Asphalt Shingles: Class A, B, and C.
Class A shingles offer the best protection and can handle heavy fire exposure.
Class B shingles can resist a moderate fire, and
Class C shingles can only withstand exposure to fire briefly.
Class A is the top choice for anyone in areas where wildfires are a real concern an can be improved with an acrylic coating such as Vital Coat Shingle Shield a fire retardant all its own.
Will an Acrylic roof coating really improve a roofs fire resistance? → An Acrylic roof coating adds a layer of waterproofing, reduces home cooling costs by reflecting heat & UV Rays emitted by the sun and yes, improves fire resistance! Sooo, yes, you can enhance a home’s fire protection with fire-resistant roof coatings while simultaneously extending the life of the roof by 10 years or more!
It is critical that shingles, of any type, and drain gutters are kept free of windblown combustibles such as leaves, twigs, debris or trash.
Further, Vent openings to Attic Areas and Under Decks or Crawlspaces must be “backed” with a minimum of 1/8th inch wire mesh covering so as to ‘block’ the entry of windblown “fire embers”.
Finally, shrubbery within five feet of the home must be replaced with stone-based mulch such as Lava Rock, Pebbles, Crushed Stone, Slate, Limestone Gravel or Pea Gravel.
Point being, after the next Wild-Fire event in your neighborhood, and the local TV News Reporter expresses bewilderment to his audience as to how or why ‘by the grace of the gods’ select homes were mysteriously shielded from total loss by fire, you’ll know the ‘gods’ likely had little to do with it!
One last comment for the Entrepreneur’s among you; yep, opportunity neatly leaps of the page for a “Ember-proofing” Service Company!
Can You Imagine That
_______________________________