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When it’s mixed with water using a standard garden hose, this liquid concentrate provides thermal-protective coating for up to 36 hours.
There is one additional yet vital component for wildfire preparation: developing a wildfire action plan. This includes setting a predetermined safe meeting spot (in our case, a local park), identifying and plotting escape routes, and gathering important documents and information ahead of evacuation. Wildfires spread surprisingly fast and catch many unaware, something our neighbors who survived the 2020 Bobcat Fire recollected in vibrant detail. You might find yourself having to leave very quickly, with barely any time to gather anything but what you can rapidly grab, so it’s best to be ready today for tomorrow’s emergency.
Thus, we have two large backpacks outfitted with a change of clothes, emergency supplies, respirator masks, prescriptions, and backup eyeglasses all ready to go. If you have pets, you’ll also want to plan accordingly for their comfort, in case you have to shelter elsewhere.
And if we do have to evacuate, we’ll have one last measure: a case of Barricade Gel, a fire retardant designed to spray onto roofs, walls, and fences. Long before becoming a homeowner, I learned about fire-protective gel from a local news report about firefighters applying it ahead of a fire’s approach—with notable success.
Each gallon container of Barricade concentrate coats between 500 to 700 square feet, improving chances against surfaces igniting. The manufacturer advises spraying the water-absorbent polymer across eaves, windows, doors, decks, shrubs, fences, and other vulnerable sections of the home and landscaped perimeter. The gel is biodegradable and non-toxic to plants, and it washes away using just a hose, so post-fire cleanup is easy.
Though all of these upgrades help give us peace of mind and make our home more resistant to a total loss, the most important lesson is to know when to get yourself to safety. “Just remember: Nothing is fireproof,” Hannemann said. “You can only make your home fire resistant. But these home hardening upgrades do greatly reduce the chance of your home catching fire during a wildfire event.”
This article was edited by Jen Gushue and Harry Sawyers.
