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Ready.gov wildfire and the house
Ready.gov’s wildfire page, last updated 11 August 2026, tells you to use fire-resistant materials, keep a hose that can reach the property, and keep a fire-resistant zone free of leaves, debris, or flammable materials for at least 30 feet from the home. Designate a room you can close off and put a portable air cleaner in it when the air is smoke. That page is federal household guidance. It is not adopted code, not Zone 0, and not an IBHS certificate.
You are standing in the driveway with a garden hose that dies at the far corner of the garage and a bark bed against the siding. Ready.gov’s 30-foot sentence is the federal household picture. The first five feet is a different document.
Why it matters
Embers arrive whether or not your state adopted a WUI book. Ready.gov is the national floor for what to do this week: alerts, a go-bag, a hose, debris off the house, a clean room for smoke. It does not tell the building official which vent is listed.
How it works
The Strengthen your Home list on that page is four moves: fire-resistant materials on work you already planned; a hose that reaches; a 30-foot debris-and-fuel break; a closable room with a portable cleaner. Stay Safe During adds the FEMA app, evacuation when told, and an N95 or a filtered room if you are not ordered out. After a fire, wait for authorities, avoid hot ash and live embers, and photograph damage for the carrier.
The paths
- Household preparedness (Ready.gov). Alerts, evacuation, hose, 30-foot debris zone, clean room.
- The first five feet (Zone 0 / IBHS 0–5). A different, tighter picture. See zone bands.
- Adopted construction. IWUIC where a local book names it, Oregon R327 where adopted, California CWUIC in mapped hazard. See no national WUI construction code.
- A designation inspection. IBHS Wildfire Prepared is photos plus a third-party evaluation. Use it to get ready for the inspection, not as a substitute for the official.
What people mix up
- Treating Ready.gov’s 30-foot sentence as Zone 0.
- Treating a Ready.gov checklist as a building permit.
- Treating a portable air cleaner as a listed attic vent.
How to check
- Open Ready.gov/wildfires and read Strengthen your Home against what is actually on your lot.
- Open the zone document you are scoring — IBHS, CAL FIRE, or Oregon OSFM — and keep the first five feet separate from the 30-foot sentence.
- Ask the building official which construction book applies. Ready.gov will not name it.
Limits
This page quotes Ready.gov’s household list. It does not classify a parcel, set a premium, or decide a permit.
Related records
Questions
Is Ready.gov’s 30-foot zone the same as Zone 0?
No. Ready.gov, opened 26 August 2026, asks for a fire-resistant zone free of leaves, debris, or flammable materials for at least 30 feet from the home. Zone 0 is the first five feet in IBHS, California Safer from Wildfires, and this site’s zone-bands page. Do not merge those pictures.
Does following Ready.gov satisfy adopted code?
No. Ready.gov is federal household guidance. It does not adopt IWUIC, Oregon R327, or California CWUIC. Spec the book the building official names, then use Ready.gov for evacuation, alerts, and smoke.
What does Ready.gov say about indoor smoke?
Designate a room that can be closed off from outside air. Close doors and windows. Set up a portable air cleaner. During smoky conditions, Ready.gov also points at an N95 mask and at high-efficiency filters on a central system set to recirculate. See smoke-ready home for EPA’s filter and CADR numbers.
Does Ready.gov replace an IBHS evaluation?
No. Ready.gov is a preparedness page. IBHS Wildfire Prepared is a parcel designation after photos and a third-party evaluation. Get ready for that inspection on the IBHS checklist. Ready.gov does not issue a certificate.