BOISE, Idaho — May is Wildfire Awareness Month. Experts are urging homeowners to prepare for the wildfire season with a few steps.
On Monday, over 80 public policy makers and insurance commissioners gathered at The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise to hear what engineers' findings. The event was organized by the Idaho Department of Insurance.
The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, has a facility in South Carolina. They can create scenarios of wildfire embers and flames approaching, then destroying homes.
They study things such as what happens if they move something away, or switch materials on a house.
On Monday, they shared what they've found to prevent destruction.
"There are three key features based on science, that homeowners can absolutely do," Anne Cope, Engineer at IBHS told Idaho's News Channel 7.
The first is having a Class A roof.
The second, get flame-resistant vents and flame-resistant fencing around your home.
Third, move any landscape in front of your home, at least five feet away from it.
If you don't do any of those, your home could go up in flames.
"Make sure you understand those points of potential failure around your home," Roy Wright, CEO of IBHS told KTVB.
He said he has family members who have lost their homes to wildfires, and having material that will survive - is key.
A live demonstration at NIFC on Monday displayed two different homes built by Fire Marshalls.
One was made with wildfire prepared materials, the other without.
The wildfire-prepared home had non-compostable siding, its landscape was at least five feet away from the home and there was a solid path barrier between the two. The fence attached to the home was also made of metal.
The home that burnt down... it's landscaping butts up against the home. The attached fence was made out of wood. Both the landscape and the fence caught on fire, sending flames straight to the house.
"Just moving the landscape away from the home can significantly reduce your risk," Cope said.
Getting a new roof, or completely re-doing your front yard might not be possible before this summer.
Cope suggested starting small before working your way up the check list. Move your flowers and bushes away.
Or, for those with wooden fences who can't replace your entire fence line. Change the material directly connected to your home.
"We are not powerless, and we can absolutely do these things today to reduce risk of wildland fire coming into our neighborhoods," Cope said.
If you want to take prevention even further... you can upgrade your deck, door and window materials. You can also move any additional structures or buildings on your property a least 30 feet away from your main home, Cope suggested.
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