Protecting Your Home Year-Round from Wildfires

As a cooperative responsible for managing critical electric grid infrastructure across four western states, wildfire mitigation is a priority we take seriously. Each year, we assess risk and carry out wildfire mitigation efforts to help protect our transmission lines, substations and communications equipment. These efforts also play a vital role in supporting the safety and resilience of the rural communities we serve.    

With wildfire season now at a year-round risk, planning ahead is an ongoing necessity. It not only applies to our utility infrastructure but to homeowners, businesses, and residents in wildfire-prone areas.   

From reducing the use of flammable materials to strengthening exteriors, homeowners can take meaningful steps now to protect the place called home. Learn how the shifting landscape affects the wildland-urban interface (WUI), why this matters for wildfire risk, and the steps homeowners can take both inside and outside the home. 

The Changing Landscape: What Is the Wildland-Urban Interface?  

Although wildfires generally start in places with dry vegetation, they can quickly spread to developed areas.   

Wildland-urban interface (WUI) is the zone where residential development meets undeveloped natural areas. It highlights the unique hazards for homes in these high-risk regions where fire can spread quickly without natural barriers. 

Wildfires are a natural part of the environment and a key function to ecosystem health. In WUI zones, uncontrollable wildfires destroy developed areas, and excessive burning severely impacts air and water quality. 

Understanding WUI Zones 

The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that the WUI will continue to grow 2 million acres per year. As this expands, homes and businesses in predominantly wildfire-prone land become endangered.   

Tri-State's Wildfire Mitigation Program Manager Curtis Hartenstine shares some alarming statistics:  

• Since 2000, there have been approximately 70,000 wildfires each year, burning about 7 million acres annually. That’s over twice as much land burned each year in the 1990s. 

• 2024 was the worst year for wildfires in U.S. history with more than 19,000 fires burning more than two million acres from January 1 through June 2024.  

• Population dynamics are changing, and more people are moving to the wildland-urbane interface. For example, in 2020, 80% of the Wyoming housing units were classified in the WUI, a 63% increase since 2020. 

Both the increase in the number of wildfires and in population size, which affects the likelihood of wildfires (most wildfires are started by people), indicate a new demand for wildfire mitigation, safety, and response. In addition, “many people living in these areas do not have knowledge of fire behavior/drivers and how to protect their property,” as stated by Hartenstine.  

We’ll explore the preventative measures homeowners take to mitigate wildfire damage.   

Protect Your Home 

A commonly misused phrase in home protection is fireproofing. No amount of precaution will guarantee complete safety from wildfires.  

Curtis Hartenstine explains, “Home fireproofing is impossible because, given the right conditions, nearly all building materials can burn or be severely damaged in a wildfire. Wildfire intensity and duration of burn are factors of weather, fuels and topography. With the right combination of these conditions, fires can burn exceedingly hot and are difficult to suppress by the fire service. Homeowners can reduce the probability of ignition by living ‘Wildfire Ready’: know your environment and take steps to proactively protect your home.”  

Preparing the Outside of Your Home (Defensible Space)   

The home ignition zone (HIZ) breaks down a home’s property into three zones based on ignition sources.  

At each, there are steps for homeowners, taken directly from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):   

Zone 0 (0-5 ft from structure)   

• Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris and pine needles that could catch embers.   

• Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration.   

• Reduce embers that could pass through vents in the eaves by installing 1/8-inch metal mesh screening.   

• Clean debris from exterior attic vents and install 1/8-inch metal mesh screening to reduce embers.   

• Repair or replace damaged or loose window screens and any broken windows.  

• Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.   

• Move any flammable material away from wall exteriors – mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles – anything that can burn. Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches.   

Zone 1 (5-30 ft)   

• Clear vegetation from under large stationary propane tanks.   

• Create fuel breaks with driveways, walkways/paths, patios, and decks.   

• Keep lawns and native grasses mowed to a height of four inches.   

• Remove ladder fuels (vegetation under trees) so a surface fire cannot reach the crowns. Prune trees up to six to ten feet from the ground; for shorter trees do not exceed 1/3 of the overall tree height.   

• Space trees to have a minimum of eighteen feet between crowns with the distance increasing with the percentage of slope.   

• Tree placement should be planned to ensure the mature canopy is no closer than ten feet to the edge of the structure.   

• Trees and shrubs in this zone should be limited to small clusters of a few each to break up the continuity of the vegetation across the landscape.   

Zone 2 (30-100 ft)   

• Dispose of heavy accumulations of ground litter/debris.   

• Remove dead plant and tree material.   

• Remove small conifers growing between mature trees.   

• Remove vegetation adjacent to storage sheds or other outbuildings within this area.   

• Trees 30 to 60 feet from the home should have at least 12 feet between canopy tops.   

• Trees 60 to 100 feet from the home should have at least 6 feet between the canopy tops.  

Home Hardening and Retrofitting: Building a Fire-Resistant Structure   

Many communities have learned how to get ready before wildfire is a threat to reduce their risk of damage. The Colorado State Forest Service advocates for residents to adapt to buildings and surrounding property, referred to as home hardening or strengthening. 

Here is a wildfire mitigation checklist overview of home reinforcements to improve structural resilience:  

Roofing    

• Using class A fire-rated roofing materials: metal, tile, composition shingles   

Vents and Openings   

• Using 1/8” metal mesh to cover vents   

• Installing ember-resistant vents to resist embers from entering your home   

• Sealing under-eave and attic openings   

Windows and Doors   

• Installing dual- or triple-pane tempered glass windows   

• Having fire-rated exterior doors with tight seals   

• Weather stripping   

Siding and Walls 

• Using ignition-resistant materials (stucco, fiber cement, metal)    

• Maintaining vertical clearance between siding and ground   

• Considering retrofitting wood siding   

Decks, Balconies, and Overhangs   

• Enclosing undersides   

• Using fire-resistant decking materials   

• Keeping areas clear of combustibles    

Fire-Resistant Landscaping Tips   

Homeowners in WUI zones may add fire-resistant plants, gravel and stone mulching, and remove dead vegetation. Additionally, clearing pine needles, dry grass, and trimming trees maintains clear access to roads.   

For outdoor structures and equipment, avoiding wood materials may be challenging. Below are some best practices for WUI zones:   

• For wood decks, apply fire-resistant coatings or replacement.  

• Identify combustible materials like sheds, fences, and patio furniture.   

• Keep firewood storage at least 30 feet from the home.   

These efforts to protect property zones combined with structural hardening and retrofitting contribute greatly to wildfire risk reduction.   

Inside the Home: Be Ready 

If wildfires do pass through a homeowner’s defenses, it’s important to have a plan in place.     

Emergency supplies to keep:   

• A go-bag filled with essentials (phone chargers, cash, medications, and important documents) for leaving overnight to a few days   

• Fire extinguisher to put out fires wherever you go   

• N95 masks to limit smoke inhalation   

• First aid kit for injuries    

• Water    

Evacuation planning:   

• Situational awareness to understand emergency operations and evacuation orders in the fire zone 

• A plan that includes multiple escape routes   

• A communication plan for your friends, family, and neighbors   

• A plan for your pets   

• Practice drills to get comfortable with the plan   

Backup Power and Home Safety Systems:   

• Keeping a battery backup for a garage door opener   

• Having fire alarms   

• Having working carbon monoxide detectors   

• Getting a smart alert system   

• Installing a whole-house sprinkler system if feasible   

A Defensible Home Save Lives   

Throughout wildfire-prone areas, preparation isn’t an option at the last minute. Home wildfire protection is becoming a way of life for people living in dry climates, forests, and WUI zones. As climate changes and wildfires adapt, so does the urgency to safeguard lives, homes, and communities.   

Notably, communities must act together. A single homeowner is more vulnerable against wildfire than an entire town.   

At Tri-State, vegetation management, resilient system upgrades, and data research help foster a secure wildfire mitigation plan.  

Hartenstine’s final thoughts: “Start with the basics! Know what your wildfire fire landscape is like and understand where you are at risk. Research publicly available data or reach out to extension agents from State Forest Service personnel, FACO, and FACNM. FACNM is also great for homeowners to understand more. You don’t have to be a professional fire scientist to be aware.”  

Every individual has a role to play. Wildfires are not decreasing, and how we prepare today shapes tomorrow. 

Hear more from Curtis by listening to our Western Watts podcast episode, “The Why Behind Wildfire Mitigation with Curtis Hartenstine.” 

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About Tri-State 

Tri-State is a power supply cooperative, operating on a not-for-profit basis, serving electric distribution cooperatives and public power district member-owners in four states. Together with our members, we deliver reliable, affordable and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West. Visit www.tristate.coop.