FIREWISE Fact Sheets | Riverside Fire Department

Firewise Fact Sheets: Protect Every Part of Your Home

Learn how to protect every part of your home with our Firewise guides. Each PDF focuses on a specific area, such as landscaping, roofing, decks, and siding, and provides practical tips to reduce wildfire risk. Explore the topics below to get started.

Attic and Crawl Space

Windblown embers can enter attics and crawl spaces through vents. Installing the recommended mesh screening and eliminating storage is critical to reducing building ignitions during a wildfire.

Coatings

Product types, application requirements, and performance limitations that can influence how buildings perform in a wildfire.

Decks

Strategies to reduce the vulnerability of your deck to wildfire, including materials, clearances, and routine maintenance.

Exterior Sprinkler System

Learn whether exterior sprinkler systems are an option for protecting a home during a wildfire after residents have evacuated the property.

Fencing

Material, installation, and maintenance choices that can help keep fences from becoming ignition points.

Roofing Material

Roofs are a highly vulnerable part of a home during wildfires. Understand fire-resistant options and inspection tips.

Skylights

Skylights can compromise a home’s ability to survive a wildfire when precautions are not taken to prevent embers and flames from entering.

Under-Eave Construction

Embers lodged in gaps between blocking and joists can lead to ignition and allow fire to enter the attic. Learn how under-eave details can reduce this risk.

Immediate (Noncombustible) Zone

Why is it important to create and maintain 5 feet of noncombustible space around the exterior of the building? This critical buffer can significantly reduce the chance of embers igniting your home.