Here's how you can help protect your property from wildfire, say safety experts

As flames and smoke from the wildfires that swept through parts of Nova Scotia in recent weeks dissipate, some residents may wonder how they can protect their property from future fires.

According to fire safety and insurance experts, there are many steps home and business owners can take to limit or prevent damage — including some quick and easy tasks, and other longer-term, more expensive endeavours.

Glenn McGillivray is the managing director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, a not-for-profit research institute affiliated with Western University in London, Ont.

He says there's a perception that wildfires are a "wall of flames" that enter a community from the forest.

"That's not really what happens," he says.

Rather, embers can be blown far ahead of the fire front, even kilometres away.

"I liken it to, you know, millions of lit cigarettes being thrown on the communities," he says. "If you can kind of prevent those embers from grabbing hold and igniting, you have a very good chance of your house being a survivor."

Kara McCurdy is the wildfire prevention officer with Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources and the provincial liaison for FireSmart Canada, a national program that aims to minimize the negative impacts of wildfire.

She says everyone can take steps to protect their property from fire damage, whether they're in the middle of a forest or right in a city.

"It doesn't matter if your home isn't in a wooded area. Once one home catches fire, it's like a domino effect and many homes can catch fire," she says.

Clean up around the property

McGillivray says when a fire enters a community, it stops being a forest fire and switches to consuming "urban fuels" — flammable things around a yard or close to a building, so clearing a property of flammable material is key to protecting it.

According to FireSmart Canada, combustible material should be moved at least 10 metres away from buildings. This includes piles of firewood, bark or pine-needle mulch, construction materials, patio furniture and recreational vehicles.

The surface of the ground within 1½ metres of a home should be made of non-combustible materials such as gravel, brick, concrete or rocks, and tree branches or woody shrubs should be cleared from that zone.

McCurdy was on the ground in both the recent Tantallon-area and Shelburne County wildfires, and says one home in particular stands out in her memory. The home on either side and the one behind it caught fire and burned to the ground, but it was left relatively unscathed.

The house had lots of green space between the forest and the structure, a wide swath of gravel around the foundation, a rock garden, and patio furniture piled away from the house, McCurdy says.

"Mind you, they did still sustain some damage to their siding, but the home itself did not burn because, you know, it was clean, it was neat, [there was a] green patch around the entire property."

Even the types and locations of plants and shrubs should be considered, as some, such as cedar or juniper planted next to a house, can catch fire.

Lawns should be kept mowed, and leaves, twigs, branches and pine needles should be cleaned up around the property.

"Those are fine fuels," says McGillivray. "It's just like kindling when you're starting a campfire."

Deciduous trees should be favoured over conifers in the area closer to buildings, and evergreen trees should not be within 10 metres of a home.

If the yard backs onto woods, the forested area should be thinned to reduce the amount of fuel for fires. Thinning includes increasing the distance between trees, removing fallen trees and pruning trees to create a two-metre clearance from the ground.

Structures near homes

Decks can pose an ignition risk due to their proximity to buildings. Combustible materials such as wood can be replaced with non-combustible or fire-resistant material, even for just the area closest to the building. Stone or cement patios can also be used instead of a deck.

The area under and for 1½ metres around decks should be cleared of flammable debris such as dried leaves, pine needles and propane tanks.

Sheds should be placed at least 10 metres away from homes.

Wooden fences can be a significant conveyor of fire, says McGillivray, noting that during the 2016 wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alta., the fire department went around and knocked down wooden fences to prevent flames from travelling to homes.

Home construction and maintenance

Property owners planning a new build can use construction materials that lessen the fire hazard.

McGillivray says there is a belief that metal roofs are better than asphalt shingles for fire resistance, but that's not true. As long as roofing materials are graded Class A, they will provide similar protection, he says.

There are a wide variety of options for cladding, with some being more susceptible to fire than others. Wood shingles are, of course, combustible, and McGillivray said vinyl siding easily melts and exposes the underlying layers to embers and flames. Homes made of brick, stucco, fibre cement boards, metal or heavy logs are more likely to survive a fire.

Debris such as leaves and pine needles should be cleaned from gutters regularly, and screens can help prevent material from accumulating there.

Eaves should be covered with soffits, and vents should have screens to prevent embers from entering the home.

McCurdy recommends people review the advice on the Firesmart Canada website for more tips on fire-proofing their homes, but cautions that there is no failsafe method.

"Even if you protect your home, there is still a chance that it can still catch fire from a wildfire. It's not a hundred per cent."