As an Expert Contributor for Living Brentwood magazine, Kurt Krueger, Principal Architect and Owner of Krueger Architects, was asked to share how to protect your Southern California home during wildfire season. A topic we are all, unfortunately, all too familiar with after last years’ Getty Fire and the 2020 Sepulveda Fire.
Considerations on the exterior of your home like landscaping, site design, walls and overhangs, roofs and windows, as well as access for fire trucks and other emergency vehicles are key to being prepared for wildfires. Exterior sprinkler heads have also proven effective. On the interior of your home you should have at the ready fire extinguishers in the kitchen and garage and tools such as a shovel, hoe, rake, and buckets. Consider adding sprinklers in during your remodel (new homes already require sprinklers). Always have working smoke detectors that are tested monthly. And also consider the flammability of fabrics and linens such as drapes and towels knowing that fires often penetrate through windows first.
“Wildfires attack your home from the exterior, driven by strong winds that can reach peak temperature in seconds. Fire may pass over your site and be gone within minutes, which then presents the danger of secondary spot fires started by wind-driven flames and embers. If your home is designed to withstand this brief, but devastating, exterior attack, your home has a good chance of surviving a wildfire.” Kurt Krueger
To see the article as it originally appeared click the image or use this link for the .pdf of the August 2020 Living Brentwood.
Living Brentwood magazine is published by Best Version Media. BVM is a specialized publishing company that produces publications for affluent neighborhoods throughout the U.S. Their mission is to bring neighbors and businesses together with a positive, relevant and family-friendly monthly magazine customized to meet the needs of our neighborhoods. Delivered direct to residents monthly, it contains the most relevant information and hot topics of interest to the community: from architecture, to decorating, to food, travel, and local business features, Living Brentwood is a must read for our community.
