How Topography Influences Wildfire Risk

The topography around your home or business, which includes the slope of the land and the direction the structure faces, is a major consideration in assessing the risk exposure to wildfire. Wildfires burn up a slope faster and more intensely than along flat ground and a steeper slope will result in a faster moving fire, with longer flame lengths.

STEPS TO DETERMINE THE STEEPNESS OF THE SLOPE

Select a mark on the slope and walk 10 paces downhill;
If your head is below the mark you have a steep slope.

PROTECTING MID-SLOPE OR STEEP SLOPE PROPERTIES

If your structure is set back less than 15 feet for a single-story and 30 feet for a two-story building take additional precautions:

Be more aggressive with your vegetation modification and maintenance plan and more aware of the materials used to build the building, deck or any outbuildings.
Push fuel modification area beyond the 100-foot distance, if at all possible. A target for the extended fuel modification area would be between 150 feet and 200 feet.
Consider increasing the protection of your building by constructing a noncombustible retaining wall to help increase the set-back. When making future improvements, incorporate ignition-resistant features and materials into the building and surrounding landscape.