Wildfire Safety
It's important to be aware of American Family's wildfire-prevention guidelines, which generally apply to homes in mountainous and foothill areas. Below are tips for homeowners to avoid damage from wildfires.
- Have your driveway connected to a hard-surfaced main road that's at least 20-feet wide. Clear your driveway of vegetation so fire-fighting equipment can easily reach the house.
- Have at least a 30-foot safety zone around the home. A safety zone may include items such as low-growing, fire-resistant plants and shrubs, firebreaks like gravel walkways and stone walls, or pruned and well-spaced trees that are no closer than 10 feet apart. No branches can hang over the home’s roof.
- Use roof material with a UL Class B or better fire rating such as asphalt shingles, metal, cement and concrete products, or terra-cotta tiles. Roofs and gutters must be clean. Wood roofs and wood shake siding are ineligible for coverage.
- Clean any porch, balcony or deck with exposed space underneath of combustible materials and vegetation.
- Cover vents with quarter-inch noncombustible screens. Chimneys and stovepipes must be covered with spark arrestors.
- Dwellings located in narrow canyons, ridge tops or areas sloped such that the terrain creates a natural chimney are ineligible.
These recommendations were developed using generally accepted safety standards. Compliance with these recommendations is not a guarantee that you will be in conformance with any building code, federal, state or local regulation regarding safety or fire. Compliance with these recommendations does not ensure the absolute safety of your occupation, business or residence. It is the property owner’s duty to warn any tenants or occupants of the property of any safety hazards that may exist.