Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Wildfire Defense Mesh house on the homepage is a great resource and tool for selecting the most appropriate roll width for your application. Before installing Wildfire Defense Mesh, it is suggested that you consult and confirm with NFPA / Firewise, State, or your Local Fire Authority home hardening guidelines or a Wildfire Home Assessment specialist.

Remember, Wildfire Defense Mesh is part of your wildfire solution for Home Hardening and Defensible Space.

‍

• It is manufactured to ISO 9000 Quality Standards
• It is strong and can keep animals and insects out of protected spaces
• Available in black powder-coated finish and blends into the environment
• Provides a privacy feature when installed
• Supplied with additional wires top and bottom to make securing easy
• Has been independently tested and passed Australian Standards and U.S. Standards
• Meets the requirements per International Wildland Urbane Interface Code (2015)
• Class A Fire Rated Product per UL 723 / ASTM E84

• When there is no fire situation, woven mesh allows airflow and will allow areas that get wet to dry out
• When there is a Fire situation: 
• ~Wildfire Defense Mesh, as a woven mesh, allows airflow, and the mesh acts as a filter that “knocks out” embers as they are carried by wind
• ~Solid metal barriers deflect the wind up and over the fence leaving the ember in the wind allowing the ember to enter the defensible space
• ~Solid fences require large footings as they are subject to the full force of the wind
• ~Woven mesh is strong, and it keeps its shape

‍

• Stainless steel has a high melting point, and the research states that the protection should be able to withstand 900+ degrees C whereas aluminum Melts at 700 Degrees C
• Stainless steel is non-corrosive and low maintenance whereas galvanized steel loses its non-corrosive protection over time
• Stainless steel is non-combustible and will not increase your building fire load
• Stainless steel can reflect Radiant heat resulting in a lower temperature on the non-fire side. This lower temperature will reduce the likelihood of fire continuing beyond the barrier

While many different local governments may have their iterations of wildfire codes or recommendations. These are likely derived from the three most widely implemented wildfire codes, being:

• The International Code Council’s International Wildland Urban Interface Code (IWUIC),
• The National Fire Protection Association’s Standard for Reducing Structure Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire (Standard 1144), and

The California Building Code Chapter 7A — Materials and Construction Methods for Exterior Wildfire Exposure.

Australian Standards 3959 – Construction of Buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas and the different Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Building Codes in the U.S., CA Building Code, IWUIC, NFPA, etc. are all based on similar research. Embers are 80-90% of the cause of building loss, followed by radiant heat and direct flame.

A homeowner cannot control the land and vegetation outside of their property boundary. Therefore, codes make us look at what we can control. As a building code generally takes years to write and update, we now look to National and State Fire Authorities for Best Practice.

The current best practice is to develop layers of defense, both “Home Hardening” and creating a Defensible Space to be part of your solution to protect your home and assets.