Yes, definitely. Fortunately, you have many options. Two basic kinds of decks exist: 1) solid surface, and 2) those that typically use gapped deck boards. Solid-surface decks usually incorporate noncombustible materials (i.e., lightweight concrete with a possible topping material). Gapped deck board designs usually incorporate combustible products, although noncombustible (e.g., aluminum) decking products are available. In California, deck boards must meet certain minimum requirements to be used in wildfire-prone areas. The main requirement is based on a measure of the energy released when the deck is burning. Flame spread information is usually also available for decking products. A listing of most of the decking products that comply with the California requirements is maintained in a free online document called the Wildland-Urban Interface Product Handbook. This document is maintained by the office of the state fire marshal and can be found on its Web site. Some manufacturers only produce in compliance with the California code, so those in other states may still be able to obtain these materials.

Browse related Faqs by tag: surviving wildfire, beforefire, building:deck