Reduce the Vulnerability of Your Deck to Wildfire
MANY HOMES LOCATED IN WILDFIRE-PRONE AREAS HAVE ATTACHED DECKS, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY SPREAD FIRE TO THE HOUSE WHEN IGNITED DURING A WILDFIRE.
A burning deck can ignite siding or break the glass in doors or windows, allowing fi re to gain entry into the house. Consequently, making decks less vulnerable to wildfi re also makes your house less vulnerable. Reducing the deck’s vulnerability requires an approach that focuses on the materials and design features used to build the deck, and creating a noncombustible zone around and under the deck.
EMBER EXPOSURE AND IGNITION
Walking surfaces of decks are either solid surface or constructed using deck boards (with between board gaps). Solid surface decks are commonly light weight concrete or tile. Combustible deck board types include: solid wood and wood-plastic composites (these products are more widely used than noncombustible deck boards). Noncombustible deck board types include: metal and fiber cement.
Recent testing at the IBHS Research Center showed embers mostly lodge between deck board gaps and where deck boards rest on joists. Embers can accumulate and potentially ignite decking and combustible joists. Embers can also fall through board gaps and land on materials stored beneath the deck. It’s critical to remove all combustible materials from the under-deck area to minimize the opportunity for ignitions; where resulting fl ames would impinge on the decking (some wood-plastic decking products are vulnerable to flaming exposures).
IBHS tests also showed that even without vegetative debris in between deck gaps, medium density softwood decking products, such as redwood or western redcedar are vulnerable to ember ignitions. Most wood-plastic composites, along with higher density tropical hardwood, and fi re-retardant treated decking products are less vulnerable to embers. The vulnerability to embers in these locations is a reminder to remove debris that accumulates in these areas.
BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS
The International Wildland Urban Interface Building Code (IWUIC) and the California Building Code are the most commonly referenced construction codes for wildfire-prone areas; both include requirements that focus on the walking surfaces of decks. Noncombustible products are allowed by both codes.
The California Code provides provisions for accepting combustible decking products. These types of products are more commonly used by homeowners living in wildfire-prone areas across the country. Their requirement governs the amount of heat released when combustible decking is ignited by a gas burner. This mimics burning debris that could be located under the deck, or burning vegetation impinging on the underside of the deck, but does not mimic ember exposure. Combustible decking
products that comply with the California Code can be found at: http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/licensinglistings/licenselisting_bml_searchcotest.