Fall is a great time to complete Firewise projects around homes and properties to reduce the risk of damage or loss from a wildfire. Firewise is a national program that teaches people how to prevent catastrophic loss due to wildfires.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers guidance to home and cabin owners through its Firewise program. People can request a free homeowner’s kit on the DNR’s Firewise webpage. It includes a do-it-yourself home assessment, which can help identify areas on which to focus.
Research shows most structures burned in wildfires catch fire due to traveling embers, not from direct flames. By minimizing flammable materials around their property that embers can easily ignite — such as wood piles, dry leaves under a deck, or needles on a roof or gutters — homeowners can reduce the risk of damage or loss from an approaching wildfire.
“If property owners reduce the likelihood that a burning ember finds a suitable fuel, they greatly reduce the likelihood that their home or cabin will ignite,” said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist.
Firewise projects help create a protected space around a property. People can start near their home and then move outward as time and resources allow. Projects include:
- Clearing gutters of needles and leaves.
- Pruning branches close to the roof and chimney.
- Installing metal screening to prevent sparks from getting in eaves or under wooden decks.
- Checking that house numbers are visible from the road.
- Ensuring driveways are at least 12 feet wide and have a 14-foot clearance to facilitate emergency vehicle access.
Becoming Firewise can make a big difference, especially for Minnesotans who have experienced damage from summer blowdown events or have diseased or dying trees on their property. These can add additional fuel, which can increase fire spread and intensity.
Additional Firewise projects can help slow the spread of fire as it approaches. Removing brush, thinning trees, keeping lawns mowed and green, and pruning the lower branches of conifer trees are all effective practices. Tackling Firewise projects can help protect not only homes, but communities, too.
To share the work — and the benefits — neighbors can work together to build a Firewise community. Projects depend on the property, available resources and time. Learn more about the Minnesota Firewise Program on the DNR website.