Fifth Edition Protect your home from wildland fire You and your neighbours can reduce the hazards of Wildland Fire by following these simple preventative steps. Take the FireSmart Assessment test! Is your home at risk?
TO REPORT SMOKE OR FIRE IN THE FOREST, PLEASE DIAL: 1-877-NWT-FIRE 1-877-698-3473 For further information about wildland fire in the NWT, please visit our web site: www.nwtfire.com The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Forest Management Division would like to thank the following: Partners in Protection for providing the information used in this brochure, Alberta Sustainable Development Forest Protection for allowing use of the Home Owner's Manual, Second Edition as a model, The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs Emergency Measures Organization and Office of the Fire Marshal for their support in producing this publication. Photo Credits Cover photos: Fire ZF12 Incident Command Team, near Highway 3, June 25, 211 Waiver The Government of the Northwest Territories accept no responsibility of liability for any loss or damage that any person may sustain as a result of the information in, or anything done or omitted pursuant to, this pamphlet. ISBN# 978--778-17-7
1 Wildland Fire on Northern Landscapes Wildland fires have shaped the northern landscape since the last ice age, over nine thousand years ago. They will continue to be a significant agent of change in the forest ecosystem of the Northwest Territories (NWT). The North experiences an annual average of about 27 1 wildland fires. Most of these fires are caused by lightning and occur, for the most part, in the boreal forest regions of the NWT. The forests of the NWT are fire-dependant ecosystems requiring high intensity (crown) fires to regenerate. A crown fire generates and sustains a wall of flame extending from the ground to above the tops of trees and produces massive spotting, intense heat and a rapid rate of spread. Under these burning conditions, fire control efforts are virtually impossible until conditions improve. If these fires occur near communities, the response may include activation of emergency services, including evacuations, and a prolonged and expensive suppression effort. Recent examples include fires on the Ingraham Trail (1998), Behchoko (1999), Norman Wells (23) and Inuvik (23). In 211, Deline, Fort Smith and Behchoko had various levels of evacuations during the fire season. The examples given above are of fires started from natural causes lightning. Although these fires made headlines and focused attention on the protection of human life and property, they do not tell the full story of the bigger problem of human caused fires in the forested areas around communities in the NWT. Community fire departments and firefighters employed by Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) have extinguished many hundreds of fires over the past 2 years, within the corporate boundaries of northern communities. The wildland fire problem within, and adjacent to, community boundaries is not simply one where an occasional fire may occur but one where many fires occur each season, a few of which may pose a serious threat to human life and property. Living near or in a forested area necessitates having an awarenessof the risks of the threat of wildland fire. Following the NWT Fire Smart Homeowner s Manual can help to reduce that risk. 1 Reported to Environment and Natural Resources, Forest Management Division
2 2 Get Ready Properly preparing your home and community doesn t completely guarantee you won t incur fire damage, but it does reduce the risk. Make sure you have adequate insurance on your home and property. Some of the measures in this manual cost very little and help reduce your vulnerability to wildland fire; others require planning and a long-term commitment. Let s look at three areas where you can apply FireSmart principles to protect or reduce the damage to your property from a wildland fire. Site Preparation Interface Priority Zones Any kind of vegetation is combustible. Mature trees, shrubs, grass and even your woodpile can easily ignite and increase the chance of wildland fire, damaging your home and property. Managing the space around your home and buildings is of utmost importance. Do you have a cleared zone around your house and buildings? The 1-metre space immediately surrounding your home is Priority Zone 1. It s the most critical area to introduce FireSmart principles. A fuel-free space will give firefighters a chance to save your home from an advancing wildland fire. A home without a fuel-free space can make firefighting difficult, if not impossible. Lawn or non-combustible material - within 3 met res of building ( pts). What to do? Remove flammable trees and shrubs, such as pine, spruce and juniper. Other species such as aspen, poplar and birch have lower flammability rates. Also remove deadfall or woodpiles from this area. Keep your grass mowed and watered.
3 3 How FireSmart is your Second Priority zone? The area extending from 1 to 3 metres away from your home is Priority Zone 2. In this zone, you need to reduce fuels by thinning and pruning trees so that intense wildland fires don t have as much fuel to burn. What to do? Remove any trees and debris that would support the rapid spread of a fire. Make sure to thin or space trees so that the crowns (tops) of individual trees are at least 3-6 metres apart. Remove tree branches up to 2 metres from the ground. Also remove thick shrubbery and deadfall to reduce the chance that fire will climb up into the forest canopy. Once a wildland fire is crowning, it s very difficult to stop. Before Because fires spread more easily uphill and downwind, it s important to extend Priority Zone 2 further on downhill slopes and on windward exposures. Crown Spacing 3-6 metres Can you extend your FireSmart maintenance plan to the Third Priority zone? Priority Zone 3 begins 3 metres from your home and extends to a distance After of 1 metres and beyond. In this zone the objective is not to remove all combustible fuels from the forest, but to thin the area so fires will be low-intensity and more easily extinguished. What to do? Thin or reduce the shrubs and trees that make up the understory. Try to keep fire-resistant trees, such as aspen, poplar and birch, while spacing more flammable trees so that each individual crown is at least 3-6 metres apart. These are simple economical steps anyone can take to create a FireSmart home, community or business site. To ensure years of protection, make sure you maintain your FireSmart Priority Zones. An example of thinned understory
4 4 Building Construction The second set of FireSmart guidelines deals with building materials and design standards. While it may not be practical or economical to apply all of them to an existing structure, many FireSmart modifications are easily accomplished. Others can be included in long-term maintenance or renovation plans or incorporated in new structures as they are designed and constructed. Is your roof FireSmart? The most fire-resistant roofing materials are metal, clay tile and asphalt shingles. Untreated wooden shakes and shingles provide no resistance. They are ideal fuels for an advancing wildland fire. Metal, tile, asphalt, ULC-rated treated shakes or non- combustible material ( pts) - the most fire resistant and remain effective under severe fire exposure. PHOTO: KELVIN HIRSCH Ensure your roof is free of combustible needles and leaves and there are no overhanging trees or branches that can provide fuel for airborne sparks and embers. Unrated wood shakes (3 pts) - provide no fire protection. PHOTO: KELVIN HIRSCH PHOTO: KELVIN HIRSCH Non-combustible siding ( pts) Materials such as stucco, metal siding, brick cement shingles, concrete block, poured concrete and rock offer superior fire resistance. Are your exterior walls FireSmart? Materials such as stucco, metal, brick and concrete offer superior resistance to fire. Logs and heavy timber are less effective. Wood and vinyl siding offer very little protection.
5 5 5 Is the exterior of your home vulnerable to firebrand ignition? If you are designing your home, eliminate areas where firebrands (airborne sparks and embers) could accumulate and ignite siding, windowsills or trim. Exterior siding should be fire-resistant and extend from ground level to the roofline. Eaves and vents are readymade openings that can allow heat and embers to enter a building and ignite. Ensure eaves are closed in and screen all vents and soffits. Keep areas under decks and porches clear of debris and sheath the undersides with fireresistant material. Are your doors and windows FireSmart? Be sure to remove flammable forest fuels within 1 metres of glazed window and door openings. Tempered, thermal or smaller doublepane windows will provide far greater protection than single pane glass. Closed eaves, Closed eaves, Closed eaves, Closed eaves, Open eaves, Open eaves, vents screened vents screened vents not vents not vents not vents not with 3-millimetre mesh metre and mesh 3-millimetre and 3-millimetre with 3-milli-screened screened with with screened screened (6 pts) (6 pts) accessible accessible ( pts) ( mesh pts) (1 pt) mesh (1 pt) Single pane Single (2 or pane 4 pts) (2 or - virtually 4 pts) no - virtually no protection is protection provided is by provided single pane by single glass. pane glass. PHOTO: KELVIN HIRSCH PHOTOS: DON MORTIMER PHOTO: KELVIN HIRSCH PHOTOS: DON MORTIMER PHOTO: PELLA WINDOWS PHOTO: PELLA WINDOWS PHOTO: PELLA WINDOWS PHOTO: PELLA WINDOWS Tempered Tempered ( pts) - optimum ( pts) - protection optimum is protection is Double pane Double (1 or pane 2 pts) (1 or - moderate 2 pts) - protection moderate protection provided by provided tempered by glass. tempered glass. is provided is by provided double or by thermal double or pane thermal windows. pane windows.
6 6 Don t Be the Cause of a Wildland Fire This set of objectives is aimed at not becoming the source of the fire. FireSmart your chimney Chimneys should be constructed to meet current Northwest Territories building code requirements and should be screened-in with the appropriate approved spark arrestors. Burn barrels and ash pits Burn barrels should be well away from buildings and other combustible sources. Burn barrels should have proper ventilation, screens and should never be left burning unattended. For safer disposal, bring your debris to a landfill site. Power lines and propane tanks Vegetation should be cleared well back from power lines, propane tanks and other fuel supplies. Emergency facilities FireSmart building sites have adequate emergency vehicle access and a readily available water supply such as a pond or dugout nearby. Contact utility companies for clearing of vegetation under overhead electrical installations. Shovels and rakes Every home should have shovels, rakes, axes, garden hoses, sprinklers and roof ladders to assist in suppressing wildland fires.
7 7 A Well Thought-Out FireSmart Protection Plan D I Q O K M J E F N P R C H B G L A A Prune tree branches to a minimum height of 2 metres. B Store firewood a minimum of 1 metres from any structures (avoid down-slope location). C Remove all combustible trees, long grass, shrubs, logs, branches, twigs and needles within 1 metres of a structure. D Thin trees (with 3-6 metres between crowns) for at least 3 metres from any structure. E Contact your utility company if trees or branches are not clear of power lines. F Keep mowed and watered grass within 1 metres of buildings. G Have your address, municipal fire number or lot number clearly visible for quick identification by fire services. H Make sure your driveway is wide enough to accommodate emergency vehicles so they have enough space to turn around. I Provide an alternate emergency access route to and from your property. J Have a nearby pond or tank with an emergency water supply. K FireSmart your fire pit or burning barrel. L Clear your driveway of trees to a distance of at least 3 metres on either side. M Make sure your chimney is to code and has spark arrestor screens installed. N Close in eaves, vents, and soffits. O Sheath undersides of balconies, decks and crawlspaces with flame-resistant materials. P Locate propane tanks at least 1 metres from any building and clear vegetation at least 3 metres around propane tanks. Q Use only Class A-, B- or C-rated fire resistant roofing and fire-resistant exterior siding. R Install solid shutters or metal firescreens to provide increased fire protection for windows and doors.
8 8 Do Your Own Home and Site Hazard Assessment Assign yourself the indicated number of points for each assessment area. The fewer points you get, the more prepared your property is to successfully survive a wildland fire. If a question does not apply to your home, score. PHOTO: CDF Will your home survive a wildland fire?
9 9 Home & Site Hazard Assessment Important Factors What kind of roofing material do you have? How clean is your roof? What is the exterior of your home built of? Are your eaves and vents closed-up and screened? Have you screenedin the underside of your balcony, deck or porch? How fire-resistant are your windows and doors? Where is your woodpile or other combustibles located? Is your home set back from the edge of a slope? Characteristics of Material Metal, clay tile, asphalt shingle or ULC-rated shakes Point Rating Unrated wood shakes 3 No needles, leaves or other combustible materials A scattering of needles and leaves 2 Clogged gutters and extensive leaves 3 Non-combustible material stucco, metal siding or brick Logs or heavy timbers 1 Wood, vinyl siding or wood shakes 6 Closed eaves and vents with 3 mm of wire mesh Closed eaves and vents with no mesh 1 Open eaves and vents 6 Decks, balconies and porches are screened or sheathed with fireresistant materials Decks, balconies and porches are screened or sheathed with 2 combustible materials Decks, balconies and porches are not screened or sheathed 6 Tempered glass in all doors/windows Double-pane glass: Small/Medium Large Single-pane glass: Small/Medium Large More than 1 metres away from any building Less than 1 metres away from any building Building is located on the bottom or lower portion of a hill Building is located on the mid- to upper portion or crest of a hill 1 2 2 4 6 6 Your Score Low <21 points Moderate 21-29 points High 3-35 points Extreme >35 points
1 1 Home & Site Hazard Assessment Important Factors Potential Hazards Point Rating Your Score What type of forest surrounds your home, and how far away is it? Deciduous trees (poplar, birch) within 1 metres of buildings Deciduous trees 1-3 metres from buildings Mixedwood (poplar/birch & spruce/pine) within 1 metres of buildings 3 Mixedwood 1-3 metres from buildings 1 What kind of surface vegetation grows in the zones around your buildings? Conifers (spruce, pine or fir) within 1 metres of buildings Separated Continuous Conifers (spruce, pine or fir) within 1-3 metres of buildings Separated Continuous Well-watered lawn or non-combustible landscaping material Uncut wild grass or shrubs Within 1 metres of buildings Within 1-3 metres of buildings Dead and downed woody material within 1 metres of building Scattered Abundant Dead and downed woody material within 1-3 metres of building Scattered Abundant 3 3 1 3 3 5 3 3 5 3 Are there abundant None within 1-3 metres underbrush and ladder fuels in the Scattered within 1-3 metres of buildings 5 surrounding forest? Abundant within 1-3 metres of buildings 1 The Wildfire Hazard Level for your home is: Total Score Low <21 points Moderate 21-29 points High 3-35 points Extreme >35 points
11 11 11 Other Other FireSmart FireSmart Considerations Important Important Factors Factors Yes Yes No No Do you have Do you adequate have adequate insurance insurance on your on home your and home and property? property? Do you have Do you the have necessary the necessary fire suppression fire suppression equipment equipment (shovels, (shovels, rakes, buckets, rakes, buckets, hoses, etc.) hoses, easily etc.) accessible? easily accessible? Are your Are burn your barrels burn screened barrels screened and at least and 1 at metres least 1 metres from combustibles from combustibles and buildings? and buildings? Are overhead Are overhead power lines power clear lines of vegetation clear of vegetation and and at least a tree s least length a tree s away length from away nearby from forest? nearby forest? Are propane Are propane tanks clear tanks of vegetation clear of vegetation and least and 1 at least 1 metres away metres from away your from home your and home other and buildings? other buildings? Are emergency Are emergency fire services fire services within a within 1-minute a 1-minute drive drive from your from home? your home? Is you chimney Is you chimney clean? Does clean? it have Does proper it have clearances, proper clearances, screens and screens spark and arrestors? spark arrestors? Do you have Do you adequate have adequate access to access your property to your property for for emergency emergency response response vehicles? vehicles? Is the area Is the within area 1 within metres 1 of metres your home of your and home other and other buildings buildings free of flammable free of flammable trees, other trees, vegetation other vegetation and and combustible combustible materials? materials? Do you have Do you an have adequate an adequate and accessible and accessible on-site water on-site water supply in supply case of in fire? case of fire? Does your Does family your have family an have emergency an emergency fire and fire and evacuation evacuation plan? plan?
12 Wildland Fire Evacuation! If you are put on Evacuation Alert due to an approaching wildland fire, the following steps will help prepare your property and reduce your risk of loss. Outside the house: Move all combustible materials (firewood, lumber, lawn/deck furniture, door mats) at least 1 metres (3 feet) away from your house. Remove all flammable debris (dead needles, leaves, dry grass, brush) from on, around, or under your house (eaves troughs, roofs, under decks). If you have enough time, consider cutting down and removing flammable trees and shrubs that are close to your house. Attach garden hoses to your taps and place a connected sprinkler(s) to reach flammable surfaces of your house (wood shake roof, wood or vinyl siding, decks, yard vegetation). Cover all openings (under decks, porches, etc.) with metal or plywood to prevent embers from entering. Place plywood shutters on any windows facing the forest. If you have an outdoor hot tub, fill it and make it accessible to firefighters. Fill garbage cans and buckets with water and leave them where firefighters can find them. Block downspouts and fill rain gutters with water. Turn off or remove any outside propane tanks. Inside the house: Close all windows and doors. If you have metal blinds, close them. Move combustibles (curtains, furniture, house plants, etc.) away from windows and sliding glass doors. DO NOT turn sprinklers on unless the fire is an immediate hazard to your home.
13 Emergency Phone Numbers Find and copy down the emergency numbers for your area and keep them in a visible area close to your telephone. Fire Department Police Environment and Natural Resources To report smoke or a wildland fire in the Northwest Territories, please call: 1-877-NWT-FIRE 1-877-698-3473 For more information about protecting your home and community from wildland fire, order a copy of FireSmart, Protecting your Community from Wildland Fire. Copies available from: South Slave Region North Slave Region Fort Smith (867) 872-64 Yellowknife (867) 873-7184 Sahtu Region Deh Cho Region Norman Wells (867) 587-35 Fort Simpson (867) 695-745 Inuvik Region Forest Management Division Headquarters Inuvik (867) 678-6696 Fort Smith (867) 872-77 For more information on wildland fires in the NWT, visit our web site at: www.nwtfire.com