Just read an interesting article about aluminum wrap. Check it out: World’s largest tree wrapped in fire-resistant blanket as California blaze creeps closer | California | The Guardian
Has anyone heard about this or tried it?
Hi Susan,
It’s a laminate of aluminum and fiberglass material. Works great but is pricey. Take a look at www.firezat.com.
Matt
Just did the math and I think I’d need (5) 200’ x 5’ rolls. At $700/roll, that’s about $3500. Compared to paint, it seems pricey, but it’s reusable.
I wonder how much time it would take to tape the pieces together. I have a 3-story house so prepping could be tricky – especially with high winds and smoky air.
Also wonder where I’d store once it’s taped together.
This would certainly provide peace of mind if we had to evacuate.
Thanks for the link!
This type of protection is typically applied when you have days, not hours. It’s also not reusable if exposed to high heat, but then again if that’s the case, it either saved your house and a small price to pay, or it didn’t and you’ll have bigger problems on your hand.
Just read an article “Wildfire reaches Giant Forest, firefighters prepared to protect foil-wrapped General Sherman tree” by Michael Cabanatuan in the Chronicle yesterday. If firefighters are using foil wrap to protect old-growth trees, maybe it’s a good option to protect our homes. 5 rolls of the foil doesn’t take much space – it’ll fit in my garage.
Embers that land in the duff around the base of a structure might be the most worrisome (see Protecting Your Home From Wildfire - YouTube); perhaps vents and roofs can be protected other less pricey ways. Wrapping the lowest 5 feet all the way around might be an idea.
Some entrepreneur should develop a refoldable version that could also be used as a tent.
Sounds like a Merit Project! I’ll keep that in mind when I have a student who needs a good idea to pursue! 