Vulnerable Parts of Your Home & Making it Safer
from Wildfire Exposures
by
Steve Quarles
University of California Cooperative Extension Advisor, Wood Durability
1301 S. 46th St., Bldg. 478
Richmond Field Station, Richmond, CA 94804
Protection of homes from
wildfire exposures
… performance of materials
and detailing / design issues
WUI Homes must be protected from …
9 Brands (lofted embers – vegetation, construction mat’l)
9 Flame impingement (near-by vegetation or debris, construction material)
9 Radiation (dense vegetation, an adjacent structure/deck fire; heat up or
ignition)
Brands are important – don’t forget about them
Your home will be exposed to
the main flame front of a
wildfire for a relatively short
period of time – 5 to 10
minutes at the most.
Stages of a Wildfire
Your home will be exposed to pre- and
post-fire for much longer periods.
From: Landscape and Building
Design for Bushfire Areas.
Ramsay & Rudolph, CSIRO
Large fires usually start small, as shown in this
demonstration. Structure loss occurs when small
fires aren’t extinguished. Fire fighters aren’t
available. Others have evacuated.
5-minutes after 6”x6”
burning brand was placed on
deck. Non-combustible 30-minutes after burning brand was
material used for the siding. placed on deck. Melting plastic
ignited on the ground.
Brands / embers that are lofted some distance in front of
the fire is called ‘spotting’.
Spotting dependent on
• Fuel type
• Wind speed
• Relative humidity
Low RH & higher wind speeds more conducive to
spotting (trend observed in Florida wildland areas)
New Construction …
Changes to California Building
Code, and local codes will address
new construction in designated
urban interface areas
Existing Buildings …
(No code for existing structures, but
there are still things you can do to make
your home more fire safe.)
Roof Coverings Vents, Eaves & Windows
Your home acts as a system,
but it is useful to evaluate
performance of the parts …
Attached Decks, Exterior Cladding
Building Materials and Components
Exposure from embers that
9 Roof / Edge may have been blown a mile
or more. Embers can also
9 Eave / Vents ignite near-home vegetation
and debris.
9 Windows Ember, radiant, and/or
flame impingement
exposures from near-
9 Deck & Other Attachments
home vegetation, other
structures, and wildfire
9 Cladding
Building: Checklist & Assessment
9 Roof / Edge
9 Eave / Vents
9 Vegetation
Interaction
9 Windows between near-
home vegetation
and these factors
9 Deck & Other Attachments
9 Cladding
Depending on home and parcel, priority may change
as a result of site specific conditions or materials.
Protecting your Home from Wildfire –
you must consider building materials /
components and vegetation
Good performance
depends on a good a
Home system …
Vegetation
• Design/Detailing
• Installation
• Product / Materials
• Inspection &
Maintenance
In the long-run, you have some
control over all of these. In the short-
term, you can inspect and maintain.
Weather Weather plays an important role in
determining the severity of the wildfire.
Drying conditions ---
- Low relative humidity
- High winds
Red Flag Warning – weather conditions
9 29-42% RH, 30+ mph
9 19-28% RH, 21-29 mph
9 9-18% RH, 12-20 mph
Lower RH, lower wind speed
9 <9% RH, 6-11 mph
Moisture Content (mc) conditions, typical during 2003 So. CA fires ~2.5%. Low
mc conditions would also apply to near home vegetation and building materials.
Roof - Large, nearly horizontal area with significant exposure from sun, rain,
wind, and wildfire generated embers. Performance in a wildfire will depend
on a number of factors, including -
- Material classification (covering or assembly)
- Condition (age)
- ‘Complexity’
- Edge (gutters & debris accumulation)
- Penetrations (vents, etc)
Let’s start with your roof …
Fire ratings for roof coverings – either ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ or ‘unrated’
B-brand: 6”x6” three
layer sandwich made
from ¾” square
Douglas-fir sticks
C-brand:
Small piece of
Douglas-fir,
A-brand: 12”x12” three layer sandwich
about the size
made from ¾” square Douglas-fir sticks
of an ice cube
Fire rating for roof coverings
Burning [12”x 12”] ‘A Brand’
placed on roof covering. Will
flame penetrate through the
covering to the underside of the
roof deck (into the attic), or not?
Flame penetrated through to
the underside of the
roof sheathing, into what
would be the attic. As built,
this is not a ‘Class A’ roof.
Fire ratings for roofs – two ways to have a Class A rating :
- Covering alone (‘stand alone Class A’)
- Covering and underlying materials (‘assembly rated Class A’)
Asphalt Comp (‘three-tab’ shingles)
- ‘stand alone’ Class A. It doesn’t matter what
kind of materials are used under the roofing
material (the part of the roof you can see).
A pressure impregnated fire retardant treated wood shake roof
has a ‘stand alone’ Class B rating. With an underlying fire-
barrier material, it can attain a Class A rating based on the
‘assembly’ [the Class B shake, plus the underlying fire barrier
material]
Fire barrier material, usually a ‘stand
alone’ Class A material by itself.
Fire retardant treated woods
shake (stand alone ‘B’)
An aluminum roof covering also
has a Class A ‘assembly’ rating. It
is a non-combustible material, but
has a low melting point.
Fire barrier material
(in this case a fire-
rated Type 72
capsheet material
(roll roofing)
The burning A-brand melted the aluminum roofing
material, and is sitting on top of the capsheet fire-barrier
material. The fire performance of the metal roofing is
dependent on the performance of the capsheet material.
For assembly rated roof coverings, it is important to carefully follow
manufacturers instructions regarding both installation and materials used
in the assembly. The fire rating was obtained using a specific set of
materials – deviating from the specified materials list could compromise the
fire rating of the roof covering.
Older, well used asphalt comp roof. Can it still be
considered a ‘Class A’ covering? Maybe, but maybe not.
Inspect your roof, and replace when needed.
Complex roof designs - typically more debris accumulation
- Increases maintenance requirement for your home
-Fire will also expose components other than the covering
(In this case, the cladding and the underside of the roof – will these provide the
same protection as the Class A roof? It will depend on their fire rating.)
Valley Construction using
asphalt comp shingles
Metal valley flashing flashing
Interweaving shingles
To provide same Class A fire rating, use
Type 72 capsheet under metal valley
flashing. Consider using 15# roofing felt
between capsheet and flashing.
Bird Stops – prevent debris
accumulation under clay barrel
tile roofs.
Bird stops missing
on this roof
Inspect and maintain (repair) bird stops
Between tile openings can develop in the field of the roof.
These gaps should be repaired to prohibit embers from
getting under the roof covering.
Debris in gutters - if ignited (by burning embers) the fire
will expose roof edge, not your Class A roof covering.
This metal gutter will remain attached if the debris is ignited, increasing
exposure time at the roof edge. If your gutter is vinyl (plastic), it will detach
from the roof edge relatively quickly. Therefore most of the debris in the
gutter will burn on the ground, exposing near-home vegetation, and your
siding (if combustible).
Gutter covers - many new
products are available that claim
to minimize the accumulation of
debris in gutters, while still
allowing water to enter (see
separate hand out for list)
Examples of gutter and down
spout covers and devices
Gutter covers
- Maintenance required
- Potential for ‘leakage’ at joints
- pine needles may plug up these mesh-type covers
Another attachment method -
1 2
3
1. Slip netting under
roof covering.
2. Tie off at
horizontal gutter
attachments.
3. Lap at corners, tie
at pre-drilled holes
where necessary.
Ember / Firebrand Exposure
- entry into vents
- landing on horizontal surfaces
- ignitions
Attic and Crawlspace Ventilation
Building codes usually call for attic and crawlspace ventilation.
Two functions include reducing moisture levels and reducing
heat buildup in attic. Usually code calls for:
- cross ventilation in crawlspaces
- inlet and exhaust vents in attics and cathedral ceilings
Crawl space vent, ¼” mesh screen
Gable end vent, ¼” mesh screen
Code, 1 ft2 vent area per 150 ft2 floor area, reduce to 1:1500 w/
groundcover. Attic ventilation between 1:150 and 1:300.
Decay in wood girder in
unvented crawlspace
Vents - moisture management tool
or flame and ember entry point?
Flame impingement exposure on exterior
wall, subsequent flame entry into vent
Examples of Vents
Eave (boxed in) with soffit ‘strip’ vent
Roof Overhang – good or bad?
ridge vent
Crawlspace
Gable end
Brands entering at
openings in the eave.
Entry door to - Prepare cover plate
‘mechanicals’ room
(wood or metal) to
prevent ember entry.
Wide overhang
Gable-end vent vulnerable to flame entry
if trellis & vegetation ignites
Roof covering and accumulated
debris increase risk of fire /ember
entry in this through-roof vent
(also called an eye-brow vent, or
dormer vent).
In some cases, soffit /eave vents are being moved to the top of roof, avoiding
potential entry of embers into attic from soffit / eave vents. Vent location is
in the lower portion of the roof – other venting must be installed close to
the ridge (or ridge vents used). The new California Building Code for new
construction in designated wildland urban interface areas specify eave /
soffit vents that minimize entry of embers. Currently no procedure is
available to evaluate ember entry.
Low profile vent design
Soffit /eave vents are also being moved into a vertical
orientation on the facia board.
Baffled vents are being developed, potential for …
- Allowing sufficient air flow to remove excess moisture and
(where necessary) reduce heat load in attic
(but, research shows that if a vent looks like it impedes air flow, it does)
- Preventing / reducing entry of burning embers
- Not likely to effectively prevent flame entry
From: Tobiasson, In: Moisture Control In
Buildings, ASTM MNL 18.
~ 1” deep
Soffit vent, using honeycomb
design, coated with an
intumescent paint. Currently
not commercially available.
Conventional Gable-end Vent
Evaluating air flow, baffled vents
ELA1, in2 Normalized, %
Conventional Vent 63 100
Test Vent #1 33 52
Test Vent #2 28 45
Test Vent #3 15 24
Reduced vent efficiency = more vents if vent:area ratio is to be maintained.
1Effective Leakage Area
Wide overhangs - increased
vulnerability to wildfire…
Burn through occurred at a
joint. Wider overhangs
result in more joints, more
flame and ember exposure
Wide overhangs – protect exterior walls from rain exposure,
reduce problems associated with leaks in building enclosure
Wide overhangs have shown to reduce the number of
moisture-related problems in exterior walls
Source: Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation, 1996, Survey of
Building Envelope Failures…
Vents & Roof Overhang
- Eave vents most vulnerable (vent covers –
prep for wildfire)
- Use of “fire safe” vents, but
- How to evaluate performance?
- Are they available?
- Any impact on moisture control function?
- Overhang
- Proven performance for rain exposure, so
incorporate into design and protect eave with
material selection and design features.
Windows and Exterior Siding …
Brand, Radiant, and Flame Impingement Exposures
Windows
- tempered vs. annealed
- single vs. double pane
- low-E
and Exterior Siding
- material (combustible,
ignition resistant, non-
combustible)
- joints
Performance of windows – glass is the
most vulnerable part of the window.
Frame failure
Horizontal separator on single-
and double-hung windows.
(The horizontal separator in hung
vinyl windows should be reinforced
Glass failure
with an aluminum cross piece.)
Dual-pane window
Warmer, greater
#3 #4 thermal expansion
Outside
Thermal stresses resulting
in crack propagation from
Inside the edge of glass is the
Radiant Energy cause of glass breakage
Exposure
Cooler, lower
#1 #2 thermal expansion
Low E coating can be on
Frame #2 surface or #3 surface
Dual-pane window with screen
Metal screens absorb some of the
screen radiant energy, resulting in smaller
temperature differences between the
exposed and protected glass. Provides
greater protection to the glass.
Radiant Energy
Exposure A fiberglass screen will not provide as
much protection as metal screens.
Screens won’t provide protection
Frame against flame impingement exposure
Performance of screens – the radiant exposure information isn’t known,
but it was sufficient to deform the vertical blinds behind the glass, but not
sufficient to break the glass, or melt the screen.
Screen missing –
vinyl vertical
blinds deformed
under radiant
Screen present – heat exposure
deformation not apparent
in vinyl verticals
For most radiant and flame impingement exposures, ignition of curtains
and other objects in the home will only occur after the glass has failed.
Screens …
Flame impingement v. radiant exposures
Radiant exposure
- metal screen
galvanized
bronze
steel
- fiberglass screen
Ember impingement
Shutters
Screens can help protect glass against radiant exposures, and some ember
exposure, but aren’t helpful in resisting flame impingement exposures
- Glass thickness varies, but is typically between 1/8” and
7/32”
- Based on my limited survey, if present, low-E coating is
usually on #2 surface (potentially making exterior pane more
likely to break under radiant exposure)
Brand exposure to top of deck Attached Decks
- Performance of decking
Under deck ground - Clear vegetation
fire exposure - Protect underside
- Material on top, close to wall
(and windows)?
Performance of decking – can result in loss of structure if heat released
while burning is large enough to ignite cladding, or break glass in
windows or sliding glass doors. Flame spread across deck can also result
in structure loss in a similar way. Fire performance properties that aid
in interpreting performance include heat release rate (HRR) and flame
spread. Generation of flaming embers that drop to the ground can also
be a problem.
Dropping flaming debris
Increasing HRR
Decking (Wood, Plastic, or Fiber-Plastic)
[with brand name examples]
Vinyl (PVC) Polyolefins – with fibers
100% PVC Fiber-PVC Polypropylene Polyethylene
EverNew Boardwalk Cross Timbers Trex
AmeriDeck CorrectDeck Evergrain
Solid Wood Geodeck Nexwood
Redwood TimberTech
Cedars
See enclosure in handout for available fire
Ipe spread and heat release rate information
Solid Channeled
Fire performance
depends on the
following factors:
- type of plastic Hollow
- fiber type / content
- shape (solid, hollow,
channeled)
Deck issues -
Open frame (spaced deck board) versus solid surface,
membrane deck
- Most deck boards used in open framed decks are
considered combustible (wood, plastic or fiber-
plastic composites).
- If exterior rated fire-retardant treated, deck
boards can be classified as ignition resistant.
- Most solid surface deck surfaces are non-
combustible (concrete, stone, tile, etc.)
Flame spread, edge of deck to wall
Enclosure of decks
- horizontal
- vertical
Need for venting if enclosed
Tile deck = solid surface deck, therefore not open frame construction on
underside.
Underside enclosed – vertical enclosure, must still be vented
Vegetation makes
this vent vulnerable
to flame entry…
Soffit strip vent
under a horizontally
enclosed deck
If flame can reach the
vent, it will easily
penetrate, even smaller
mesh sizes.
Stucco cladding, masonry blocks
(plus ‘Class A’ roof covering and dual paned windows)
Non-combustible or ignition resistant cladding is important, but other
features usually dictate survival or failure of your home.
Concerns with exterior siding:
1. Flame penetration through the
wall and into the stud cavity,
and
2. Flame spread up the wall to the
soffit / eave area, potentially
entering the attic and igniting
combustibles there.
Penetration into stud
cavity at a lap joint (this
view from the back side of
the siding)
Flame spread up the wall to
the soffit / eave area
Research has shown that
plain bevel lap joints in
combustible siding are
vulnerable to flame
penetration at the joint.
With a flame impingement
exposure (150 kW burner
output), the joint was
penetrated in 1:15 min.
Under the same exposure,
a plain bevel joint in a
noncombustible siding
product was about 22
minutes.
Source for figure: Dost and Botsai, 1990, Wood: Detailing for Performance
More complicated lap joints, such as
this shiplap joint, are more difficult to
penetrate.
In this case, under the same 150 kW
flame impingement exposure,
penetration occurred in 21:20 min.
Flame spread to the eave / soffit area
could still occur with combustible
material. The best flame spread rating
is classified as Class A or Class I
(Flame Spread <25).
Source for figure: Dost and Botsai, 1990, Wood: Detailing for Performance
One-hour ‘fire-wall’ assembly, using
fire-rated gypsum wallboard, is
sometimes specified for homes built
in urban interface areas. This
construction is well understood by
building and fire officials. However,
it isn’t used in the new California
Building Code because it doesn’t
represent a typical wildland fire
gypsum wallboard
exposure or scenario.
Photo courtesy of Richard Avelar &
Associates, Oakland, California
One of many
gas burners…
Time-temperature
curve used during an
ASTM E-119 fire test.
Furnace used to evaluate walls (1-hour wall, etc.), following
procedures in ASTM E-119. If flame penetration doesn’t
occur within the specified time period, the wall usually passes
(measured temperatures must also be below specified level).
Intumescent Coatings
Intumescent coatings provide an insulating layer between
the fire and substrate.
- Requires thick coat (~5 x normal paint film).
- Performs well in interior applications. However, it
doesn’t weather well. If used in exterior application,
manufacturers specify that it must be considered a primer
and therefore a top coat(s) must be applied.
- Data not available on fire performance after weathering
exposure.
[Note: The California Office of the State Fire Marshal does not list
intumescent coatings for use in exterior applications, even when a top
coat is used]
Home-to-home fire spread. Urban fire vs. wildland fire
- Note that vegetation hasn’t been extensively burned. Indicates that at least
some losses were from ‘home-to-home’ spread.
- In wildfires, most homes that ignite will burn to the ground. During
wildfire conflagration, fire fighters typically overwhelmed. Likelihood of
someone being present to extinguish initially small fire is small.
Other components / factors …
Fences – minimize amount of
combustible materials in
fences located less than 10’
from home. Slat-type
materials more easily ignited.
Decayed wood – when dry, more easily
ignited. Inspect deck, and replace,
repair decay damaged wood.
Other components / factors (continued) …
Garages – More ‘leaky’ to
brands than anything but
vents. Combustibles are
commonly stored in garages.
Gap and vent
Preparation for Evacuation
Cover windows
9 Shutters
9 Pre-fit plywood covers
Cover vents
9 Pre-fit plywood covers
9 Vents that can manually close
Gutters
9 Plug gutter downspouts, fill gutters with water
9 Gutter covers to limit debris accumulation
Preparation for Evacuation (continued)
Foam / Gel coatings Gel coatings are made using water
adsorbent polymers (again,
providing an insulating layer), and
can be sprayed on the exterior
surfaces of your home prior to
evacuating. Limited research has
shown that these coatings lose
effectiveness with time since
application, and so usefulness in
part depends on delay between
evacuation and wildfire exposures.
Thanks for your attention …
Questions?
Steve Quarles
[Link]@[Link]
(510) 665-3580
Thanks also to the Renewable Resources Extension
Act Grant 2006, for partial funding of this workshop.
Building Standards Update –
Future Changes to California’s Building Code
Prepared by
Steve Quarles
UC Cooperative Extension Advisor, Wood Durability
Richmond Field Station, Richmond, CA
Roof Coverings Vents, Eaves & Windows
Attached Decks & Exterior Walls
UWI Building Standards Developed by OFSM
Implemented in Two Phases …
• Applicable in …
– State Responsibility Areas [SRA] (VHFHSZ, HFHSZ,
MFHSZ) and Local Responsibility Area [LRA]
(VHFHSZ), as defined by CDF&FP.
– Local Building Official will be able to determine
applicability on a parcel-by-parcel basis
Code and other information can be found at
[Link]
UWI Building Standards Developed by OFSM
• Phase One …
– Roofs and Vents: by January 2006
• Class A - stand alone or assembly
• Protection of valleys – roll roofing
• Gutters - statement regarding accumulation of
debris
• Vents – “Resist intrusion of flame and embers”,
non-combustible ¼” (6 mm) mesh screen
Valley Construction
Interweaving shingles
Use of flashing, use of Type 72
roll roofing underlayment
Minimize buildup of debris in gutters
- Management of near-home vegetation
- Greater maintenance effort
- Use of on of the gutter protection
products currently available
Vents -
Initially at least, no change in
types of vents. Over time, new
vent designs, possible change in
location. No change in required
Crawlspace vent area.
UWI Building Standards Developed by OFSM
• Phase Two, by January 2008
– Exterior Walls (Cladding)
– Decking
– Windows
– Eave Protection
9 ‘Performance standards’ for products
[[Link]
9 Some decking products may not be allowed
9 Dual-pane windows, minimum one pane tempered
9 ‘or’ statements will provide options
9 wording to encourage vents that resist entry of
embers
Wall, Window and Eave Test Apparatus
(currently with cladding in place…
Glass failure in window,
during test
Failure in soffit material, during test
Deck test. Wording for enclosing underside.
Potentially, new vent designs that minimize entry of embers,
still allowing for air flow
Thanks for your attention …
Steve Quarles
[Link]@[Link]
(510) 665-3580