Showing results 1 - 77 of 77
Image
Impervious surfaces like patio slabs, sidewalks, and driveways that are within 10 feet of the home should slope away from the house.
Image
A dry hydrant is a pipe a homeowner can have installed in a natural water source on their rural property to provide easy access to the water by firefighting crews.
Image
A professional tree survey should be made prior to construction to assess the health and usefulness of each tree surrounding the future home and to determine which trees on a building site should be preserved.
Image
Comprehensive water management features include a capillary break (≥ 6-mil polyethylene sheeting) at all crawlspace floors
Image
Create defensible space against wildfires by limiting fire fuels in the immediate, intermediate, and extended zones around the home
Image
Defensible space and ignition resistant building materials saved this home from a wildland fire that destroyed the neighboring home in the foreground
Image
Dry wells are underground tanks that store water to percolate or drain slowly to another site or sewer.
Image
Dune erosion caused by the combination of a hurricane and a nor’easter in Ocean City, New Jersey
Image
Example of an earth-sheltered home in hot climate Tempe, AZ uses the cooling properties of the ground to decrease cooling costs
Image
Example of setback from wildland vegetation Image title: Homes sited on hills in wildfire prone areas should be set back at least 50 feet from downslope wildland vegetation.
Image
Image
Good water management practices like sloping grade away from house, and installing gutters, perimeter drain pipe, a capillary break, and free-draining soils or drainage mat protect the foundation from water saturation.
Image
Image
Homes sited on hills in wildfire prone areas should be set back at least 50 feet from downslope wildland vegetation.
Image
Image
In hot climate zones, shade building surface with vegetation for passive cooling.
Image
In the middle of summer, the sun shines most directly on the east and west sides of a house, while in winter it shines mostly from the south.
Image
Installation of an erosion control blanket to minimize soil loss on sloped ground that has no established vegetation
Image
Image
Keep mulch away from trunk of the tree to allow air circulation at the root collar.
Image
Landscape trees and shrubs to funnel cooling breeze towards a home in hot climate zones.
Image
Large deciduous trees provide heat-blocking shade to the walls and windows of this house.
Image
Leave the soil level around an existing trunk as is (left); do not increase soil height (center) or remove soil in the root zone (right).
Image
Minimum horizontal clearance between trees and plants on various slopes for wildfire resistance
Image
Image
On ocean-front lots set the home as far back on the lot as possible, preferably with a protective dune between structures and shoreline.
Image
Planting deep-rooted native grasses and shrubs on the banks of shorelines can help reduce the effects of erosion on sandy slopes
Image
Image
Image
Image
Proper gutter and downspout system terminates with final grade sloping away from the home
Image
Recommended tree spacing for wildfire resistance within the three defensible space zones (Source: Preparing Homes for Wildfire
Image
Retaining walls can prevent erosion and landslides and maintain access to critical infrastructure
Image
Right - Dense vines growing on a covered trellis along the west side of this home provide effective shade for the wall and windows and create a shaded, protected walkway and outdoor seating area.
Image
Right - This builder preserved the trees around this new urban-infill home, providing excellent shading in the summer.
Image
Image
Image
Right – The canopy of this tree is high enough to allow views out the windows of this home while providing excellent shade to walls, windows, and roof.
Image
Right – The drain slopes away from the foundation and terminates at the proper distance
Image
Image
Right – This shrub has been pruned to allow views out the windows of this home while providing shade to walls, windows, and roof.
Image
Right – This tree shades walls, windows, roofs, and grounds for two adjacent homes.
Image
Right – Trimming tree branches a minimum of 10 feet from the house or any attached structures reduces the risk of home ignition.
Image
Right – Trimming tree canopies a minimum of 10 feet from the house reduces the risk of home ignition.
Image
Soil types include sand, silt, and clay- the more sand, the more quickly the soil drains.
Image
Super-heated air and gases from wildfires will dry and heat the fuel, both vegetation and structures, in the path of the oncoming, uphill-moving fire.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
The pilings for this building are showing signs of failure due to a poor siting decision to locate the home too close to the surf.
Image
The thermal image on the left and normal picture on the right show the cooling effect of a shade tree on walls and ground surfaces as compared to unshaded areas of the property (darker colors are cooler while lighter colors are hotter in the left image).
Image
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map can be a valuable reference in determining appropriate landscape plants for your climate .
Image
There are many landscaping strategies that can be used to reduce the cooling load and energy consumption of a home and its neighborhood.
Image
These trees were planted between the sidewalk and the street, providing shade to homes, pedestrians, parked cars, and the street.
Image
These wildfire-resistant decks have a solid decking surface, metal railings, and the underside timber supports are covered with flame-resistant fiber cement board; also the decking is set back from the vegetated slope.
Image
This above-ground private fire suppression cistern has a hydrant threaded for easy attachment to local fire department hoses.
Image
This dry hydrant was installed by a homeowner living in a rural location to provide firefighters with easy access to this natural water source located on their property.
Image
This home has defensible space around it, with a vegetation-free zone that helped the house survive a surrounding wildfire.
Image
This home survived the Laguna Beach fire of October 1993, which claimed more than 400 neighboring homes, thanks to a fire-resistant tile roof, stucco exterior, stucco-covered boxed eaves and under-decks, double-pane windows and selective landscaping
Image
This home was incorrectly sited and supported too near a slope consisting of unstable soils.
Image
This swale and berm slow the flow of stormwater across a site to minimize erosion.
Image
Typical siting and emergency vehicle turnaround requirements for a private residential cistern for fire protection.
Image
Image
When preserving a tree, construct a temporary fence around the tree canopy and post signs to keep out vehicles that might compact soil and construction waste that could contaminate the soil.
Image
Windblown embers and firebrands are the most common cause of structural fires in wildfires, followed by fires started by radiant heat igniting surfaces or breaking windows and allowing embers in, followed by direct flame contact
Image
Wrong – Conventional wood deck risks ignition from embers falling on the surface or from unmaintained vegetation burning below.
Image
Wrong – Drain pipe has been cut and foundation penetration has not been properly sealed
Image
Image
Image
Wrong – Tree branches close to the house are prone to spreading crown fires to the house; the tree should be trimmed so that branches are at least 10 feet back from the red dashed line indicating the deck railing of the house.