Wildfire roof preparation: organize a safe exterior review

Start with safe, visible conditions

From the ground and other safe locations, note roof sections where leaves, needles or branches collect, including gutters, valleys, roof-to-wall areas and transitions near trees. Photograph wide context before closer views and record the date and conditions.

Do not climb onto the roof or work near overhead lines to complete the review. The U.S. Fire Administration advises clearing leaves and branches from roofs and gutters and keeping combustible material away from the home; use those priorities to frame a professional inspection request.

Ask how embers could reach openings

List visible attic or under-eave vents, gaps at roof edges, damaged screens and open ends around roof details without guessing how they were built. Ask the inspector which locations were accessible and what evidence supports any recommended change.

Keep venting performance, moisture control and wildfire resistance in the same conversation. A proposed screen, closure or replacement should identify the component, compatible materials and applicable local requirements rather than treating every opening the same.

Separate roof, tree and landscape responsibilities

Ask the roofing provider to define roof-covering, flashing, gutter, vent and eave work. Put tree pruning, vegetation and other defensible-space tasks into a separate scope with the appropriate provider.

Record who owns each item and how one scope affects another. Removing debris or pruning branches can reduce exposure, but it does not certify the roof assembly or guarantee that a home will survive a wildfire.

Build a prioritized maintenance and project plan

Group findings into safe recurring maintenance, repairs, larger replacement questions and items requiring local fire or building guidance. For each proposed project, retain product identifiers, locations, assumptions and completion evidence.

Review the record before wildfire season and after roof, tree or exterior work changes the conditions. Evacuation instructions and active-fire alerts always take priority over property work; this planning guide is not an emergency-response plan.

Related guides

• Build a roof maintenance record that stays useful
• What to ask for in a roof inspection report
• Choose roofing materials by constraints, not a single 'best' label