If you and your neighbor have fences that overlap, this creates a small gap between the fences where debris and embers can accumulate and ignite both fences. Additionally, the two fences together create more fuel for a more intense fire, increasing your home’s exposure to heat and burning embers.

Talk to your neighbor and work together to take down any sections that overlap.

If you have fencing attached to your home that is made of combustible materials such as wood or plastic, replace at least the first 5 feet with metal or other noncombustible versions (including replacing combustible gates attached to your home). This helps stop fire from spreading from the fence to your home.

If possible, choose open or lattice fencing or gates instead of solid privacy panels to allow embers to pass through rather than accumulate. This adds even more protection to the 0–5 foot home ignition zone.

Cost: DIY or $500–$1,500

Make sure debris such as leaves and pine needles haven’t accumulated on your roof or in your gutters. Embers can easily start fires in these areas. Also make sure areas around fences and underneath gates are free of debris; this is another area where embers can collect.

• Remove branches that may overhang your roof or gutters.
• Trim the bottom of trees so that all branches are at least 6 feet from the ground and at least 3 times higher than any shrubs nearby.
• Trim upper branches of trees to ensure they are at least 10 feet away from branches of neighboring trees.
• Work with your neighbor to address trees near your property line that affect both properties.

Cost: DIY or $200–$500 per tree

If your deck sits less than 4 feet above the ground, enclose it with a noncombustible material or use 1/8 inch or finer mesh. This will help keep debris out and keep embers from collecting underneath. 

Cost: DIY or $500 – $1000

Make sure small structures like sheds, dog houses, and other outbuildings are at least 30 feet away from your home. (Metal sheds are an exception.) If they can’t be moved, consider retrofitting them with noncombustible materials or remove them completely. Combustible structures within 30 feet of your home should be maintained just like the 0–5 foot home ignition zone. 

If you have combustible siding like un-treated wood or vinyl, the best practice is to replace it with a noncombustible material like concrete-fiber board, stucco, brick, or stone veneer.

• If you cannot replace all the siding, replace the lowest one foot of siding, ensuring the material extends below ground level, with brick or stone veneer and pay extra attention to the noncombustible home ignition zone. 
• An exposed concrete foundation in the lowest foot provides similar risk reduction.

Cost for replacing just the lowest one foot of siding: $2,000–$5,000

Cost for concrete-fiber board: $8,000–$15,000
Cost for stucco: $20,000–$30,000
Cost for brick or stone veneer: >$40,000 (retrofit)

If your home has open eaves, box them in or install noncombustible soffit material, and install 1/8 inch or finer metal mesh in the vents. If fire reaches the area below an open eave, heat can build up and ignite exposed materials. Embers can also circulate here, increasing the chance they will enter your home if vents don’t have screens.

Boxed-in Eaves cost: $500–$1,500
Soffit cost: $2,000–$5,000

If you have a bay window on the ground level of your home, embers can collect and start fires in the area underneath. Heat from the resulting fire can then quickly build and spread fire to the wall. Enclosing the area beneath the bay window with a noncombustible siding keeps embers out and prevents fire from burning underneath.

Bay window enclosure cost: $500–$1,000

When building a new deck, use metal joists and a fire-resistant walking surface like fire-rated composite deck materials, aluminum, or lightweight concrete.

Cost: For 500 sq ft deck, approximately $9,000–$15,000 depending on complexity and footings
Note: Metal joists cost approximately 10%–15% more, but require less material, and general labor costs for experienced contractors working with metal substructures can be lower.

Replace your windows with ones with tempered glass, especially first floor windows on a multi-story home. In addition to tempered glass, vinyl-framed windows require reinforcing; therefore, if replacing windows with a vinyl frame, ensure the manufacturer is a member of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) which will guarantee this reinforcement is present. The AAMA site features a directory of certified products.

Cost: $500–$1,000 per window (including labor)

If your home has angled exterior walls, also called re-entrant corners, extend your home ignition zone outward from these areas and pay special attention to keep out materials that could ignite. During a fire, the flow of air around this corner can create intense fire whirls that spread extreme heat and ignite walls.

Cost: $500 of extra hardscape material