FIRESHIELD: Create a Fire-Mitigation System for Homes in Vulnerable Communities

Wildfires in California’s wildland–urban interface (WUI) are increasing in frequency, intensity, and destructiveness, posing significant risks to residential communities. The expansion of development into fire-prone landscapes, combined with changing climate conditions, has intensified the exposure of homes to wildfire hazards. While traditional mitigation strategies emphasize exterior hardening and structural fire resistance, recent wildfire events demonstrate that interior ignition remains a critical and often underestimated vulnerability once embers breach the building envelope.

This paper presents a comprehensive home design approach that integrates fire-retardant (FR) fabrics as a secondary defense layer within a wildfire-resilient system. Using case studies from major California wildfires including the Camp Fire (2018), Kincade Fire (2019), Dixie Fire (2021), and the 2025 Pacific Palisades and Eaton Fires, this research evaluates how FR materials influence ignition dynamics, fire growth, and occupant survivability.

The findings demonstrate that FR fabrics, when combined with structural fire-resistant materials such as fire-retardant-treated (FRT) sheathing and exterior hardening strategies, significantly improve resistance to interior ignition and slow fire propagation within residential structures. This supports a layered defense model that integrates exterior protection, structural barrier systems, and interior fire mitigation strategies.

Overall, this approach represents a shift from prevention-based wildfire design toward a resilience-focused framework that accounts for both ignition and post-ignition fire behavior, providing a more comprehensive strategy for reducing structural losses and improving life safety in wildfire-prone environments.