Learn how the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (CWRC) addresses ember-driven home ignition and why ventilation openings are a critical focus under Section 403.4. This guide explains wildfire-resistant vent requirements, the difference between ASTM E2886-listed vents and 1/8-inch mesh compliance paths, and how builders and designers can select code-compliant solutions that improve wildfire resilience across Colorado projects.
Wildfire Prevention
Wildfires don’t destroy most homes with flames—they destroy them with embers. While a recent New Yorker article accurately explains how ember intrusion is the leading cause of home ignition, it stops short of offering homeowners practical, affordable next steps. This article fills that gap by breaking down what wildfire research gets right, where cost becomes a barrier, and how budget-friendly, DIY ember-defense upgrades—like protecting vents, eaves, decks, and gutters—can dramatically reduce wildfire risk without expensive renovations.
Learn how Firewise Communities® help neighborhoods reduce wildfire risk by working together to block ember-driven ignition. This article explains why wildfires spread faster from home to home, how collective action strengthens community resilience, and how affordable home hardening upgrades—like ember-resistant vents, ember mesh, and fire-rated gutter guards—support Firewise principles without costly renovations.
Learn how wind-blown embers ignite homes during wildfires and discover proven ember protection strategies to prevent ignition and protect your property. Wildfires are often pictured as towering flames racing across hillsides, engulfing homes in their path, but research tells another story: up to 90% of homes lost in wildfires ignite from wind-blown embers, not direct flame contact (IBHS). These glowing fragments—sometimes no bigger than a penny—are responsible for the majority of structure loss during events like the Camp Fire, Almeda Fire, and Eagle Creek Fire.
California homeowners face a growing year-round threat from wildfires, especially in high-risk Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. This blog explores how the state’s Wildfire Mitigation Pilot Program—created under AB-38—empowers residents to harden homes and create defensible space. Learn how Firestorm Building Products supports this critical initiative with WUI-approved, DIY-friendly solutions like EmberVents™ and EmberMesh™, and find out how you can protect your home before wildfire season peaks.
California homeowners face a growing year-round threat from wildfires, especially in high-risk Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. This blog explores how the state’s Wildfire Mitigation Pilot Program—created under AB-38—empowers residents to harden homes and create defensible space. Learn how Firestorm Building Products supports this critical initiative with WUI-approved, DIY-friendly solutions like EmberVents™ and EmberMesh™, and find out how you can protect your home before wildfire season peaks.
The escalating wildfire risk in California is a pressing concern. With longer fire seasons and hotter, drier conditions, ember storms have emerged as a formidable threat to homeowners. Research indicates that up to 90 percent of homes lost in wildfires are not engulfed by direct flames, but rather by embers carried miles ahead of a fire front. Once these embers infiltrate vents, gutters, or roof edges, ignition can occur within minutes, underscoring the urgent need for action.
California homeowners face a growing year-round threat from wildfires, especially in high-risk Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. This blog explores how the state’s Wildfire Mitigation Pilot Program—created under AB-38—empowers residents to harden homes and create defensible space. Learn how Firestorm Building Products supports this critical initiative with WUI-approved, DIY-friendly solutions like EmberVents™ and EmberMesh™, and find out how you can protect your home before wildfire season peaks.
California homeowners face a growing year-round threat from wildfires, especially in high-risk Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. This blog explores how the state’s Wildfire Mitigation Pilot Program—created under AB-38—empowers residents to harden homes and create defensible space. Learn how Firestorm Building Products supports this critical initiative with WUI-approved, DIY-friendly solutions like EmberVents™ and EmberMesh™, and find out how you can protect your home before wildfire season peaks.

