“Don’t let a good disaster go to waste.”
These were the words of Ryan Ulyate of the North Topanga Canyon Fire Safety Council, who told nearby residents to let the recent disaster shock them into being better prepared. He spoke to give tips to Malibu residents on fire readiness.
As the dry season begins, thoughts are already turning to eastern Malibu, which has not burned in more than 25 years.
The 60 homeowners who gathered to hear the organization’s pre-fire mitigation steps Monday at Fire Camp 8 dodged a bullet when the Woolsey Fire failed to cross Malibu Canyon, thus sparing their homes, but Ulyate and fellow council member Beth Burnham gave sound advice about living in a high-fire zone—much that bears repeating. In addition to advice like “rake leaves and clean gutters,” their chief message is that embers from brush fires can sneakily attack a home, but with house and garden maintenance it is possible to make your home a lot safer.
“The embers don’t care. Embers jumped the 101 Freeway without any problem. The powder keg is your home,” Burnham pronounced. “The first five feet off the walls of your house are really critical areas. This is where debris such as pine needles and dead leaves accumulate.” It’s critical, she explained, to clean these areas.
Even mulch was pointed out as dangerous if abutting a home. Combustible bark could be replaced with rocks and stones that can serve the same purpose.
Vegetation right next to your home is not recommended, such as a trellis, which is often made of wood and will often support a woody vine. Even healthy vegetation will likely have dead leaves that can be hidden from view by healthy plants.
Single-pane windows can be problematic. They were described as more easily broken by radiant and direct flame contact. Open eave construction may trap heat near combustible roof materials leading a path to inside.
“A hundred-foot clearing area is ideal. If you can keep fire 100 feet from your house, then your house can withstand the heat of that fire,” according to Burnham. “Between protecting your house from embers and doing appropriate vegetation management with separation of plants— create a defensible space—then you can make your house so much safer.
“You need to think about how fire will move through your landscape,” Burnham continued. “We talk about ladder fuels and vegetation. If you have dry leaves on the ground, they can ignite a shrub that gets into a taller tree. You can take care of that with maintenance.”
Wood decks were addressed as another combustible. But the panel pointed out that decks are even more dangerous when debris is caught between the slats. Material stored underneath is even worse. They suggested regularly cleaning between the deck boards and, during red flag days, remove debris from underneath and nearby, including seat cushions and welcome mats that can become an unwelcome invitation for embers to ignite them.
“It’s not just the decks that are a problem,” Ulyate said. “It’s what’s below them. People always put all their junk there. Or there will be scrap vegetation that gets dried out. Look at it like you’re building a fire. Embers can get in below the deck then move up into the house.”
Burnham likened ember-caused fires to a campfire, describing, “You start with really small kindling. Then you start putting bigger and bigger branches into it until you can finally put a two-by-four into it. What will an ember storm ignite? They’ll ignite the little fine stuff which will then get on fire which will then ignite something else.”
Attic, crawl space and dryer vents are especially vulnerable for embers to penetrate. You want to be sure to have good screening to minimize that possibility. If embers enter through a vent, there’s likelihood they will be met by kindling material such as newspapers or lint stored or stuck in those places. The panel experts recommended a 1/8-inch screen and a product called Kwik Mesh that is readily available at home supply stores and can be installed over existing mesh that may only be 1/4-inch, for extra protection.
“It will definitely make a difference in the amount of embers that can enter your house,” according to Ulyate. Remove debris from crawl spaces and clean dryer vents. Get rid of fine fuels that are easily ignited by embers.
Scott Dittrich, who helped facilitate the meeting, reminded residents to make a plan and stay calm during evacuation, saying, “If you’re going to leave, leave early. Many people get killed trying to navigate a road that is smoky.” Dittrich added, “What we’ve learned from Woolsey is they’re saying it costs $500 a square foot to rebuild. Make sure you have enough insurance.”
More suggestions are available on the Topanga Disaster Survival Guide online.
