While images of massive walls of fire in the Western United States are dominating the news during yet another summer, the leading cause of property destruction is vastly smaller: wind-blown, quarter-size embers called “firebrands” that charge miles ahead of wildfires, collect on roofs or nest in eaves, and under the right conditions, ignite.
Now, fire protection engineers at the University of Maryland are examining one important aspect of the problem—how firebrands start fires on decks. Their findings could inform the design of fire-resistant building materials in high-risk areas—and even how firefighters manage and prevent wildfires.
