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Fire Statistics
The following statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are for fires in the United States in 2009 (Karter 2010):
• There were 3,010 civilian deaths from fire, 2,565 of which occurred in the home.
• There were 260 civilian deaths from motor vehicle fires.
• Only 105 civilian fire deaths occurred in nonresidential structures.
• U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,348,500 fires resulting in an estimated $12,531,000,000 in property losses and 17,050 civilian injuries.
In general, fires cause more loss of life and property in America than all natural disasters combined! Statistically speaking, the easiest and most cost-effective way to reduce the chances that you, your home, or your family might suffer great loss in a future fire event, is to improve the fire safety of your home, and the fire awareness of your loved ones. This chapter covers fire safety in the home, what to do when a fire strikes, and how to improve the fire resistance of your home and property.
Fire Safety Within the Home
Smoke Detectors
Probably the single most important fire-safe thing you can do for your home and family is to make sure that it is properly equipped with smoke detectors, and that they are in good working order. Smoke detectors should be installed in every bedroom, the kitchen, hallways, and at least one on every floor of your home. Where possible, smoke detectors should be hardwired into your home’s electrical system, and should also have their own battery power to provide protection when the AC power in your home goes out. It is a good idea to install combination CO (carbon monoxide) and smoke detection units.
For new construction, codes require that all smoke detectors are of the new type that are hardwired to communicate with each other. That way, if one smoke detector goes off, they all go off. Since there may be only a matter of a few minutes of time to escape a fire once it has grown to the point where it trips a smoke detector, the new interconnected systems improve the chances that everyone in the home will escape safely. For retrofit situations, you can purchase smoke detectors that use a wireless interconnect to communicate with each other. In the case of either wireless or hardwired intercommunicating smoke detectors, the detectors may be of different types (ionization or photoelectric types, combination CO and smoke detecting, etc.) as long as all detectors are made by the same manufacturer and designed to communicate with each other. When retrofitting rooms for smoke detectors, in most cases the units will operate solely from batteries.
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In October 1993, when a vicious wildfire broke out in Laguna Beach, a southern California beach town, firefighter John Henderson was called down from his home in the Sierras of northern California to fight this blaze. The combination of extremely dangerous fire conditions, brought on by three consecutive drought years coupled with 60 to 70 mph hot and dry Santa Ana winds, quickly whipped the fire into an unstoppable conflagration, burning hundreds of homes to the ground! When John rounded a corner on the Pacific Coast Highway, just north of Laguna Beach, he saw a sight that he will never forget. He and his partner watched the firestorm rush down the dry hills toward the ocean. The heat of the firestorm was so intense that, even after blowing across four lanes of pavement, it was hot enough to ignite a mile-long stretch of wooden telephone poles on the ocean side of the road. From a distance, he said they looked like a string of matchsticks stuck in the sand, igniting one after the other until there were perhaps a hundred telephone poles burning at once.
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You may find it hard to believe, but children will often sleep through the screech of a smoke detector alarm. Statistical tests show that more children will respond to their parent’s voices than to the screech of a smoke detector. Make sure you train your children to both recognize and respond to a smoke detector alarm, but also remember to add your own voice to that alarm when confronted by a real-life situation!
Be sure to change your smoke detector batteries, and test their function, at least once a year. An easy way to remember this is to get in the habit of changing smoke detector batteries, and testing their function, on the same time each year, such as when you set the clocks back at the end of Daylight Saving Time every fall. Locate the manual “test” button on the outside of your smoke detector. It may be simply a small raised area in the housing with a slot around it and the word “test” printed on that part of the housing. Push this flexible button and listen for an ear-piercing audible alarm.
Caution: If the light on your smoke detector blinks slowly, or it beeps at you intermittently, that probably means that its batteries are running low and need changing.
Fire Extinguishers
A portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the fire department arrives; but portable extinguishers have limitations. Because a fire can grow and spread quite rapidly, the number-one priority for residents is to get out safely. Fire extinguishers have a rating label that tells you what types of fires they are designed to work on, as well as their relative fire-fighting capacity. A class “A” fire extinguisher is designed to work on standard fires such as wood, paper, textiles, etc. A class “B” fire extinguisher is designed to work on flammable liquids such as grease, gasoline, and oil fires. A class “C” fire extinguisher is designed to work on electrical fires. For home usage, it is recommended that you select a multi-class fire extinguisher, such as an ABC-type extinguisher capable of fighting a normal fire as well as grease and electrical fires (NFPA 2001).
The numbers on the fire extinguisher label also indicate relative size of the fire extinguisher. On a multi-class-rated fire extinguisher, the number immediately preceding the “A” is the equivalent number of water units (a unit is 1.25 gallons) of fire-fighting capacity that are contained inside the fire extinguisher. The number before the “B” is the number of square feet of grease fire that the extinguisher is sized to fight. For example, a fire extinguisher with a 3-A:40-B:C UL rating has a rated firefighting capacity equivalent to 3 × 1.25 = 3.75 gallons of water for standard fires, 40 square feet of grease fire fighting capacity, and is also rated to handle electrical fires.
Figure 11-1. Proper fire-extinguisher technique.
Safety Tips
• Use a portable fire extinguisher when the fire is confined to a small area, such as a wastebasket, and is not growing; everyone has exited the building; the fire department has been called or is being called; and the room is not filled with smoke.
• To operate a fire extinguisher, remember the word PASS:
Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, and release the locking mechanism.
Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side. See figure 11-1.
• For the home, select a multipurpose extinguisher (that can be used on all types of home fires) that is large enough to put out a small fire, but not so heavy as to be difficult to handle.
• Choose a fire extinguisher that carries the label of an independent testing laboratory, such as UL or CSA.
• Read the instructions that come with the fire extinguisher and become familiar with its parts and operation before a fire breaks out. Local fire departments or fire equipment distributors often offer hands-on fire extinguisher trainings.
• Install fire extinguishers close to an exit, and keep your back to a clear exit when you use the device so you can make an easy escape if the fire cannot be controlled. If the room fills with smoke, leave immediately.
• Know when to go. Fire extinguishers are one element of a fire response plan, but the primary element is safe escape. Every household should have a home fire-escape plan and working smoke alarms.
Figure 11-2. Portable firefighting high-volume self-contained water pump for rural homes. Source: High Desert Fire Equipment, Sparks, NV
Painters Masks and Gas Masks
Caution: Smoke inhalation can rapidly incapacitate and kill!
A painter’s-style respirator mask with charcoal canisters (see fig. 17-10), or a gas mask (see fig. 17-9), could provide much needed protection from smoke inhalation to give you that extra minute or two to rescue a pet or child from a burning building, provided you know exactly where they are located so you don’t waste precious time looking for them. A wet towel held over the mouth and nose, drenched clothing, or a prepackaged gel-soaked blanket or hood can also provide partial short-term protection from extreme heat.
Escape Ladders
Consider purchasing a dedicated coiled escape ladder for second-story and higher bedrooms that do not have window access to a roof that is close enough to the ground to hang and jump. The escape ladder should be mounted in a permanent box directly underneath an openable window (ensure that the window operates properly and has not been painted shut), and not buried in the bottom of some closet.
Home Fire-Safe Checklist/Defensible Space
• Clear dead brush from property and trim tall weeds short.
• Clean rain gutters and roof valleys of all dead leaves and pine needles.
• Place smoke detectors in all bedrooms, hallways, kitchens and at least one on every floor of your home.
• Put fire extinguishers in kitchen, garage, and workshop areas.
• Inspect and chimney sweep chimneys and woodstove pipes annually to prevent creosote buildup. Creosote is a black greasy gooey layer that is combustible, and is a common byproduct of incomplete wood combustion. Chimney fires destroy many homes each year.
• Store flammables (gasoline, kerosene, oily rags, paint thinner, etc.) in approved flame-resistant containers and away from living areas. Garage areas should have one-hour fire-wall code-approved construction (typically 5/8-inch sheetrock wall covering, or better).
• Clear ground of pine needles, dead leaves, etc. Rake them once in the spring and let them fall in the fall. Remove dead vegetation and debris.
• Thin out thick stands of shrubs and trees to create a separation.
• Remove “ladder fuels” like lower tree branches and shrubs underneath trees to keep wildfire from climbing and spreading. Prune all dead limbs from trees.
• Plant “green zones” of moist, fire-resistant plants that will act as a barrier, and not fuel for fires.
• Swimming pools, ornamental ponds, etc., provide extra water reserves for fighting fires, and may be tapped by either fire trucks’ onboard pumping systems or lighter-duty homeowner firefighting pump systems (see fig. 11-2).
• Consider installing fireproof window shutters that will help prevent the heat of an approaching firestorm from shattering your windows or transmitting enough radiant heat to ignite items inside the home.
• Your house number should be clearly visible from the street for identification by emergency vehicles.
• In remote rural areas, it may be a smart idea to purchase a high-volume gasoline-powered home fire-fighting pump (see fig. 11-2). Gel systems have the capability to get the most out of limited water supplies, and the sticky gel is a fire resistant gooey coating that provides much longer lasting protection than a simple water spray, when applied to walls, decking, and roofing.
Extreme Fire Alert, or Approaching Fire
Here is what to do if your home and loved ones are in the path of a fire:
• Stay tuned to local radio stations, but keep your eyes and ears open, not counting on authorities for proper warning. Stay safe! It is best to err on the side of caution!
• Keep pets and children close at hand and ready for rapid evacuation.
• Place 72-hour emergency kits in car(s) along with important documents and computer backup files. Park cars facing toward the driveway exit for a speedy evacuation.
• When concerned about an approaching fire, a lawn sprinkler left running on your roof improves the chances for saving your home.
• Hose down bushes and hedges next to your home, and trim back if you feel it may be helpful or necessary.
• Close all windows and doors. Block foundation and roof vents to slow penetration of superheated firestorm gases inside the building envelope.
• Close fireplace or chimney dampers to minimize the “chimney effect” from drawing air up your chimney. Whatever volume of air draws up your chimney, will be replaced by superheated air from the outside firestorm.
• Remove drapes from windows and move furniture into center of rooms away from windows.
• Turn off natural gas lines at the meter (you may need to contact your gas company to have a qualified workman safely turn your gas back on) and propane lines at the tank. Place a lawn sprinkler on your propane tank.
• Remove gas grills and portable propane tanks far from the home, as well as combustibles such as portable gasoline cans.
When a Fire Strikes Your Home
Crawl Under the Smoke
Remember that hot air rises, so if you step into a hallway filled with choking, blinding smoke, drop to your knees to see if that will get you into a bearable level of smoke so you can speed-crawl your way to safety.
Putting Out a Clothing Fire with a Blanket, or by Rolling on the Ground
Normal types of fires need oxygen in order to burn. When hair or clothing catches on fire, quickly smother the fire with a towel, blanket, or jacket tightly wrapped around the burning area on the victim. Alternately, get the victim to roll on the ground to smother the flames, or grab and hug the victim while using your own body to smother the flames.
Bust Through Sheetrock Walls
In an emergency situation, realize that most homes are built with interior walls covered in sheetrock. If necessary to avoid a fire-and-smoke-filled hallway, or to gain access to a room to rescue a family member, realize that this sheetrock can be easily kicked through to allow a person to slip between the studs from one room to another without using a door or window.
Fire Safety and the Structure of Your Home
If current scientific predictions of global warming prove anywhere near correct, then the horrific 2007 fires outside of San Diego, and the 1993 Laguna Beach fires, are simply a preview of future wildfires that will endanger hundreds of thousands of homes in the coming years. Whether you are a homeowner wishing to improve the fire resistance of your current dwelling, or are planning to build a new home, there are a number of actions you can take to improve the chances that your home will survive a local wildfire. These guidelines are typically applied to homes located in areas where long periods of dry weather are common, such as many of the southwestern states. However, due to climate change, people in many areas where the threat of wildfires was previously a non-issue may soon find it a valid and growing concern.
Lessons from the 1993 Laguna Fire
• Many if not most homes burned from the inside out when firestorm heat radiated through closed windows and slipped inside through foundation and roof vents to ignite interior curtains, rugs, etc. Double-pane windows and heavily insulated walls will slow the rate of heat penetration into interior spaces.
• The only buildings to survive the Laguna Fire had insulated walls, double-pane windows, and blocked or minimized venting. A well-insulated, well-sealed building envelope, and high thermal mass, will slow interior heating and ignition.
• Minimize venting, and screen all vent openings to prevent flaming embers from entering vents. Removable fire-wall vent blocks should be placed in front of foundation and roof vents during periods of extreme fire danger to keep hot air from easily penetrating the building envelope.
• One of the few Laguna homes in the path of the firestorm to survive had a 40-foot-wide strip of the green succulent “ice plant” (creating an excellent “defensible space”) and a concrete tiled roof (an exceptionally fire resistant roof). The firestorm blew right over the top of the ice plant and the house, dropped burning embers on the concrete tile roof, roasted a 10-foot-wide swath of ice plant, but failed to ignite the building’s structure.
• Stucco, cement, or earthen walls are preferred. If wood siding is desired, it should be applied over a 5/8-inch sheetrock fire wall for improved fire resistance. Cement-based weather board can look like wood but give you cement board’s superior fire resistance. Even with a stucco or cement weather-board sheath, an underlying wood-framed wall might ignite if the firestorm gets hot enough.
• All projections (roof eaves, etc.) should be protected on the underside with cement stucco or cement board (like Certainteed or Hardie Board) that looks like wood. A less-preferred alternative is to paint natural wood with fire-resistant coating to improve its resistance to ignition by burning embers. Hot air rises and can easily ignite roof overhangs in a firestorm.
• Coat wood decks with multiple layers of a fire-resistant urethane deck covering (Pacific Polymers or similar) or treat wood decking with fire-resistant coatings (Fire Stop or similar). Note: Chemical treatments, such as Fire Stop, will inhibit ignition by burning embers, but will not prevent ignition due to a superhot firestorm. A stucco coat (¾ inch or thicker) on the underside of wooden decks was credited with saving two homes in the Laguna Beach fire. There is a new fly-ash composite decking board from LifeTime Lumber that has a “Class A” fireproof rating, and is LEED certified for its recycled content, that can be used to build high-quality fireproof decks. Trex and many of the other similar competing composite decking manufacturers have come out with “Class B” fire-resistant wood/plastic composite decking to meet California’s new wildland fire codes.
• Use only “Class A” fire-rated roofing systems, which are rated to prevent both the roofing material itself, and roofing underlayment (plywood) from catching fire when covered with burning embers. Most asphalt and fiberglass shingles are Class A rated, but metal roofing usually requires the use of Versashield underlayment (or equal) to achieve this rating. “Living” roofs (planted sod) have excellent fire resistance as well as thermal mass and insulation. With Class A roofing, the eaves and overhangs are the most vulnerable areas of the roof owing to the fire down below.
(Adapted and expanded from John Underwood, “Fire Resistant Details: Studying the Houses That Survived the 1993 Laguna Beach Fire Storm Yields Lessons in Building to Withstand the Heat,” Fine Home Building.com)
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My buddy Jim Bolton, an experienced Reno fireman, tells me that when they enter a neighborhood, they take mental notes about which homes have maintained a defensible space and which have not. They don’t waste their time focusing on homes without a defensible space, but spend their time defending homes where they stand a decent chance of success, while keeping a watchful eye on nearby flames. These are brave guys, risking their necks where most of us would not go, but they have wives and kids, so when a vicious fire storm gets dangerously close, they simply have to leave the neighborhood and let nature take its course.
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There are a number of building systems that are inherently fire resistant. Basically, if it is earth or concrete based, it is very fire resistant. Also, if you fill the wall with foam or straw, to eliminate dead air spaces and the chimney effect, and sheath the wall with stucco, earthen plasters, or cement board, even if it is wood-framed it will have good fire resistance. Do your best to make your roof, eaves, and decks fire resistant too, since your home will only be as fire resistant as its weakest link. Obviously, traditional stone, brick, and concrete-block construction are also quite fire resistant, provided their roofs are not a weak link in the system.
With burning embers settling on rooftops, in many cases it is the roof that forms the weak link in the fire-resistance chain. Traditional wooden shake and shingle are notorious for catching on fire from burning embers. For fire-resistant roofing, consider the following options:
• Use only “Class A” fire-rated roofing.
• Class A roofing must withstand burning embers on roof without igniting plywood sheeting.
• Most modern composition (asphalt) shingles are “Class A” fire-rated.
• Metal roofs transmit heat easily to the underlying plywood, so they tend to be not as fire resistant as you might imagine, unless they are underlaid with an insulating flame-resistant lining. They are usually only Class A fire resistant with the addition of Versashield underlayment (or similar).
• I recommend two layers of Versashield FR underlayment (or similar) FR barrier for extra fire barrier between metal roofing and its underlying plywood sheeting.
When to Make a Stand, and When to Pack and Go
Remember the story of Andrew and Mary Hall at the beginning of chapter 2? They had the wisdom to pack-and-go when their home was threatened by a nearby bush fire during supercritical fire conditions in Australia, but chose to make a stand at the home of friends who had a much more defensible space, and who were also well equipped with a large reservoir of water and extensive personal firefighting equipment. On what has become known as “Black Saturday,” others in their town were not so lucky in the bush fires that took the lives of 173 people, wiping out whole towns, with entire families found incinerated in their cars while trying to escape the inferno.
It bears repeating that when it comes to wildfires, it is better to err on the side of caution than to risk all in a moment of valor!