Building Sites

A wildfire burned the woods around this new home in Gordon before anyone had a chance to move in. The vinyl siding melted from the radiant heat from burning trees.

If you are just beginning the process of building a home and you have a choice about a building site or placement of your home on a site, work with your local community specialists (planner, fire agency, etc.) in deciding on the best placement of your home on the lot. There are a few considerations that may increase your protection from wildland fire:

Slopes

• Fire generally burns very rapidly upslope, often preheating and igniting the vegetation above it as it goes.
• Fire is extremely difficult to control on slopes, and the steeper the slope, the faster it burns and the harder to control it is.
• While rim-view lots and homes built on the edge may provide desirable views, they are also at the most risk from wildland fire.
• If building on a hilltop lot, your home will be more protected from wildland fire if you build on the flattest part of the lot at least 30 feet back from the edge. Often, this can be done without a lot of impact on the view and will help keep the structure from being directly hit by flames.

Natural Saddles and Chimneys

Topography and wind are two primary elements that drive wildland fires and make them difficult to control. Saddles (or low areas between two higher ridges) and chimneys (or vertical drainages on the side of a hill) contribute to rapid burning and extreme fire behavior. These topographical features tend to channel the wind and fire and create hazardous fire conditions. In order to maintain a Firewise home, these features should be considered and avoided when locating a building site.