Defensible
Space
The development of defensible space is vital to the
survival of a home when threatened by wildfire. A minimum
fuel break of not less that 30 feet should be established
and maintained around all structures by the selective
removal or thinning of trees, brush, ground cover and
dead plant material. The amount of additional clearance
and distance required to ensure adequate fire protection
depends on the fuel hazard classification. The following
guidelines should be used to make your home defendable
for firefighters if it becomes threatened:
| •
Moderate Hazard: |
Non-Pine Barrens,
hardwood forest and northern hardwoods. Maintain
a distance of 30 feet measured from the structure. |
| •
High Hazard: |
Pine-Barrens forest including
mature forms of pine oak and oak pine. Maintain
a distance of 75 feet measured from the structure. |
| •
Extreme Hazard: |
Immature pine oak or oak pine
less than 20 feet tall, pine scrub oak and all classes
of pitch pine lowland. Maintain a distance of 100
feet measured from the structure. |
The following precautions are necessary
to ensure a reasonable amount of protection for your
rural or suburban forest home:
General
Construction
The roof and exterior of the structure should be constructed
of fire resistant or treated material (asphalt, roofing,
tile, slate, asbestos cement shingles, sheet iron, aluminum
or brick). Wood siding, shakes, and all projections
(balconies, decks, roofs, gables, etc.) should be built
of materials treated with UL-approved fire retardant
chemicals. Cedar shakes should be avoided.
Protect the
Roof
Clean gutters and roof surfaces of all accumulations
of leaves and pine needles.
Remove Dead
Limbs
Remove dead limbs from any trees adjacent to, or overhanging,
your house.
Prevent Chimney
and Flue Fires
Inspect periodically and keep them free of
soot. Have an approved spark arrestor or heavy wire
screen with openings of no more than 1/2 inch on your
fireplace. Remove tree branches within 10 feet of chimney.
Develop
a Water Supply
A garden hose outlet is needed on the exterior of the
building. One hundred feet of hose should be racked
and connected to the outlet to protect all sides of
the house and roof.
Protect
from Flammables
Stack firewood 30 feet away from the
house and other buildings. Keep flammables in safety
cans. Screen openings in roof attics and floors to prevent
accumulations of needles, leaves, or other debris.
Landscape
Plantings
Landscape plantings should be non-resinous
and well watered (no laurel, rhododendron or flammable
evergreens). Remove leaf litter and dead plant debris
promptly.
Green Lawns
A green lawn that is well watered and mowed
is also a good fuel break. However, grass should not
be allowed to grow tall or dry out because in that condition
it is one of the fastest burning fuels.
Fire Permits
All campfires in forested areas require a
permit from the Forest Fire Service. Visit our fire
restrictions page for the latest news on campfire
restrictions or contact your
local Forest Firewarden or fire official for more
information about fire safety in New Jersey's Outdoors.
Home Identification
House numbers should be visible from the
roadway. If your home is not visible from the road,
ensure that the driveway is clearly labeled with a sign
showing the occupant's name and house number.
Access Road
and Escape Route
Access roads to your property should be at least 16
feet wide to allow east entrance for fire trucks and
passage of vehicles evacuating the area. The name of
the road should be posted at intersections and the name
of the occupants at the driveway entrance. Dead-end
roads should terminate in a cul-de-sac with a minimum
turnaround radius of 45 feet. Plan a safe escape route
for you and your family before you are confronted with
a wildfire!
Additional
Considerations
1. Areas around barbeques should be cleared
to mineral soil for a radius of 10 feet in all directions.
2. Have firefighting equipment on hand (100 feet of
garden hose with nozzle, shovel, rake, bucket, and extension
ladder).
3. Children should be trained in how to report a forest
fire of any other emergency, and what they should do
in an emergency situation.
4. Post phone numbers for local police, fire company,
and firewarden in a conspicuous place.
TO REPORT A WILDFIRE, CALL
911 OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FOREST
FIREWARDEN.
DEFEND
AGAINST WILDFIRE![Smokey says,]()
| DON'T |
| ...allow leaves
and twigs to accumulate on the roof. |
| ...store flammable
materials near the house foundation. |
| ...allow branches
of nearby trees to overhang the house. |
| ...let trees
and shrubbery crowd-in on the house. |
| ...operate a
woodstove or fireplace with an unsafe chimney. |
| DO |
| ...clean roof
surfaces by removing leaf and needle accumulations.
|
| ...stack firewood
well clear of the house. |
| ...prune lower
branches of overhanging limbs on nearby trees. |
| ...establish
and maintain a minimum fire break of not less than
30 feet around all structures by the selective removal
and thinning of trees, brush, and ground cover. |
| ...install a
spark arrestor on the fireplace chimney. |
For More Information
about Protecting your Home from Wildfire, or Forest
Fire Management in New Jersey, Contact
your local Forest Firewarden
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