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Designing for Fire Resilience - Part One

  • Writer: Andrew Goodwin
    Andrew Goodwin
  • Jul 24
  • 3 min read


It’s no secret that homeowners are growing increasingly concerned about fire. The question is no longer if communities will experience wildfire risk, but how prepared they will be when they do. 


According to CAL FIRE (2026), thousands of wildfires occur across California each year, affecting hundreds of thousands of acres, destroying homes and businesses, and permanently changing communities.


At Andrew Goodwin Designs (AGD), we believe fire resilience should be considered from the earliest stages of planning and design. A resilient building is not simply one built with stronger materials—it is one that works together with its site, landscape, and community to reduce risk while supporting long-term sustainability.


Let’s Start with a Map


Wildfire starts with location, location, location.


California's Fire Hazard Severity Zones and Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) designations establish different requirements for construction, vegetation management, and defensible space. WUI is defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA, n.d.) as, “...the zone of transition between unoccupied land and human development. It is the line, area or zone where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels”.


Knowing whether a property falls within an Interface or Intermix WUI can influence everything from material selection to permitting requirements.


According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, n.d.), interface is a high-density development adjacent to undeveloped wildland vegetation, whereas an intermix is lower-density housing mingled with undeveloped wild land vegetation.


For architects and property owners alike, understanding these designations is the foundation for making informed decisions.



A Resilient Home is a System of Intentional Materials


Many people think wildfire protection comes from one feature—a metal roof, noncombustible siding, or better windows. In reality, fire resilience depends on how every part of the building works together.


A resilient building envelope may include:

  • Class A fire-rated roofing

  • Noncombustible or ignition-resistant exterior walls

  • Ember-resistant vents tested to California standards

  • Protected eaves and soffits

  • Tempered glazing


Even small vulnerabilities (such as an older attic vent, an attached wooden fence, climbing vegetation on your home) can provide pathways for embers to ignite a structure. Fire-resistant design succeeds because each component supports the others as part of one continuous system.


The Landscape Matters Just as… Mulch (get it?)


Research consistently shows that many homes ignite not from direct flames, but from wind-driven embers finding combustible materials close to the structure (CAL FIRE, n.d.).


That is why defensible space remains one of the most effective wildfire mitigation strategies.


California's defensible space guidance organizes landscapes into three zones:

  • Zone 0 (0–5 feet)

  • Zone 1 (5–30 feet)

  • Zone 2 (30–100 feet)

Well-designed landscapes do more than satisfy code requirements and increase curb appeal—they create safer properties, healthier ecosystems, and more resilient communities. By selecting drought-tolerant native species and reducing unnecessary fuel loads will allow for landscapes to perform both environmentally and defensively.


A Free Investment in Protecting Your Home


If you’re invested in protecting your home, consider signing up for our free fire resistance seminar series: www.andrewgoodwin.us/wildfire to access the resources, download practical worksheets, and explore tools designed to help you improve your property's wildfire resilience.


This series will walk you through the basics of how to harden your home, talk with consultants about fire-specific needs and materials, and increase your knowledge on Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) codes.


Stay Tuned for Part Two!



Written by Ejay Brady


Citations


California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (n.d.). Statistics. CAL FIRE. https://www.fire.ca.gov/our-impact/statistics



Federal Emergency Management Agency. (n.d.). WUI awareness. FEMA GIS Hub. Retrieved July 15, 2026, from https://gis-fema.hub.arcgis.com/pages/wui-awareness


California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (n.d.). Defensible space. https://www.fire.ca.gov/dspace



 
 
 

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