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Many homes located in wildfire-prone areas have attached decks, which can potentially spread fire to the house when ignited during a wildfire. Consequently, making decks less vulnerable to wildfire also makes your house less vulnerable.
Combustible material should not be stored beneath decks. This will effectively create a noncombustible zone under the entire footprint of the deck.
Routinely remove debris that accumulates in between deck board gaps and debris that can accumulate at the intersection between the deck and the house.
If the deck is a non-fire-retardant treated softwood deck, consider removing and replacing deck boards within a few feet of the house.
When building new decks, select deck boards that comply with the California Building Code Requirements. If using wood joists, cover the top and part of the sides with a foil-faced bitumen tap product.
Support the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council. Become a member, and help us achieve our mission of promoting wildfire safety across the County through education and action.
