Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Most Californians know there should be 100 feet of defensible space around homes. But California officials say it’s the 5 feet around a structure that’s the most critical area where people can make their homes and businesses resistant to wildfire.

Dubbed the “ember-resistance zone,” it’s where embers from a nearby fire can ignite plants, bark or mulch, decks, gutter debris, and other combustible materials and quickly spread to the structure, Cal Fire Deputy Director Daniel Berlant said.

Berlant’s remarks came as California officials on Wednesday urged residents to be prepared for a wildfire season already well under way. Mark Ghilarducci, director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or Cal OES, warned the state’s multiyear drought has combined with climate change to make “hotter days, more windy days and now a year-round fire threat.”

Berlant said the state has increased firefighter staffing to meet the demands of late-spring wildfires and continues to do fire prevention work. He raised a challenge for the rest of the state: “We are ready. We really need the public to do the same.”

Here are some recommendations from emergency officials:

• Use noncombustible materials like gravel, pavers and concrete within 5 feet of a home.

• Clear leaves, pine needles, and other debris from the roof and gutters.

• Remove combustible fencing, gates and arbors that touch the house.

• Install gutter guards to prevent the accumulation of leaves and debris.

• Use ember- and flame-resistant vents on the house, and plug any gaps that are greater than 1/8 inch in your siding.

• Replace damaged boards, including those with dry rot.

• Trim tree branches away from structures, and remove lower limbs within 100 feet.

• Move patio furniture away from the house.