In some very important ways, yes. Your home is a large piece of fuel in the landscape, not unlike a tree. And just like a tree, it needs to be maintained to minimize hazard if a fire approaches. Regularly remove accumulated pine needles and other debris from roofs, gutters, and decks. This is needed even if you have good defensible space in the landscape, since fires often are spread by wind-borne embers landing on combustible materials rather than by a moving flame front. Of course, having ignition-resistant construction features, such as a noncombustible roof, vents designed to resist ember penetration, and properly built and maintained decks, are very important as well. To effectively reduce the wildfire threat to your home, you need both defensible space and an ignition-resistant house. For more information about ignition-resistant house construction and maintenance, search for the terms "before fire" and "structure" in other FAQS on eWIN, the eXtension Wildfire Information Network.

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