Wildfire home-hardening, in plain English

A plain-English walkthrough of the 29 home-hardening checkpoints that decide whether a house survives a wildfire — roof to fence line.

A short glossary-style answer: what home hardening means, where the term comes from, and the handful of fixes that matter most.

Zone 0 is the most important — and most overlooked — part of wildfire defense. Here's what belongs in the first 5 feet around your home, and what doesn't.

California's defensible-space rules in plain language: what each zone requires, why embers (not flames) burn down most homes, and where to start.

Class A is the highest fire rating for roof coverings — and the single strongest predictor of whether a home survives a wildfire. Here's what qualifies and what to ask for.

Most homes lost in wildfires ignite from the inside, after embers blow through standard vents. Here's how to upgrade them in an afternoon.

No house is truly fireproof — but the right roof, vents, siding, and 5-foot perimeter make the difference between a near-miss and a total loss.

What to specify for roofing, siding, decking, windows, and vents when you want a home that resists wildfire — and what to avoid.

You can't stop the fire from starting — but most homes that burn ignite from embers, not flames. Here's how to break that chain.