05
Nov

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When living in a wildfire zone, you need to take extra steps to help prevent not just the spread of the fire but the damage the fire can do to your home. While you want landscape fences and walls, you’ll need to assess whether they work for your specific needs and are good for the area.

This doesn’t mean fences and walls can’t be placed at all. Here are the top tips for constructing the right walls and fences in a wildfire zone.

Concerns About Walls and Fences

While you want to protect your property and note your boundary, it’s easy to overlook the way the walls and fences can help spread fire. The most common type of fence is the post-and-board fence made of wood, but this is fuel for any fire, acting as a ladder to climb higher than the brush on the ground.

Walls aren’t as bad, but there are factors that you’ll need to consider. Something important is the grass or moss that can grow up your walls.

Using the Right Materials

You want to make sure you choose non-combustible materials for any wall or fence you consider. It doesn’t matter about shape and size if you get the wrong material!

Wooden fences are common but are extremely combustible. Even fire-resistant wood can cause a problem. If you really want wood, you’ll want to choose a dense hardwood, such as walnut or white oak.

However, you will want to look at other materials. While plastic can be better than wood, metal is going to be the most fire-resistant for a fence. You can use a chain link fence or get barbed wire or hog wire. What you’ll need to do is make sure no combustible material has collected around the metal.

Concrete walls are certainly more beneficial to avoid wildfires spreading. They are the more expensive of the options but also the most permanent fixtures. It’s worth spending the money for safety, but make sure you remove anything that grows along your wall line.

Top Tips When Building the Fence or Wall

Whatever material you choose, you’ll want to avoid attaching anything to a building. If you have just the slightest of combustible material along the wall, you’ll allow the fire to spread to the attached building.

When you do have fences with combustible material, try to avoid them touching the ground. You can build them on top of a wall. However, you want to work with 10ft away from the ground, which can be tricky and you may need planning permission.

Avoid anything with gaps. This is where combustible material can collect. If you’re going to opt for something like a chain link fence, you’ll want to clear out the rubble routinely.

Maintenance is essential for any type of fence or wall you place in a wildfire zone. Well, maintenance is essential for any zone, but extremely important in the wildfire zones to ensure no combustible material collects.

If you need to clear brush around your fence or remove scrub oak for a new fence, give us a call for a free estimate (719)400-9104.