Research Note

Ember Exposure Pathway Record

The U.S. Fire Administration describes ember deposition, radiant heat, direct flame contact, and convection as wildfire exposures:

Aug 4, 20261 min readBy Dalton Anderson
In this article

Ember Exposure Pathway Record

Exposure system

The U.S. Fire Administration describes ember deposition, radiant heat, direct flame contact, and convection as wildfire exposures:

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/blog/protecting-structures-from-wildfire-embers-and-fire-exposures/

Embers can land on a structure, enter openings, ignite nearby landscape, or ignite nearby fuels such as fences, sheds, and woodpiles. A resulting structure fire can create a new exposure for neighbors.

FEMA's Marshall Fire guide connects building and parcel conditions:

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_rsl_marshall-mat-homeowners-guide-to-reducing-wildfire-risk-through-defensible-space_042025.pdf

IBHS's current Wildfire Prepared program describes research-based property and neighborhood requirements:

https://wildfireprepared.org/

Pathway map

ScaleExample pathways
StructureRoof, vents, gaps, windows, decks, siding, eaves, attachments
ParcelVegetation, mulch, stored material, fences, sheds, vehicles
NeighborhoodAdjacent structures, shared fuels, access, density, wind-driven spread

Boundary

No single roof, vent, distance, material, or designation makes a structure fireproof. Construction, installation, maintenance, weather, topography, neighboring structures, fire severity, and response conditions interact.

The public page is explanatory. Property-specific work requires qualified local fire, building, code, and insurance professionals.

Sources

Follow the evidence.

  1. content.naic.org: catastrophe models propertycontent.naic.org
  2. content.naic.org: reinsurancecontent.naic.org
  3. daltonanderson.ghost.io: ca wildfires insurance crisis expert analysisdaltonanderson.ghost.io
  4. ibhs.org: wildfire prepared homeibhs.org
  5. open.spotify.com: 4TTlp65UK2Dl3zYtgkCklsopen.spotify.com
  6. cfpnet.com: key statistics datacfpnet.com
  7. daltonanderson.net: ca wildfires insurance crisis expert analysisdaltonanderson.net
  8. fema.gov: fema rsl marshall mat homeowners guide to reducing wildfire risk through defensible space 042025fema.gov
  9. fire.ca.gov: eaton firefire.ca.gov
  10. fire.ca.gov: palisades firefire.ca.gov
  11. insurance.ca.gov: res ins guideinsurance.ca.gov
  12. insurance.ca.gov: 5 residentialinsurance.ca.gov
  13. insurance.ca.gov: commercialguideinsurance.ca.gov
  14. insurance.ca.gov: 07 lasliinsurance.ca.gov
  15. insurance.ca.gov: Sustainable Insurance Strategyinsurance.ca.gov
  16. insurance.ca.gov: public wildfire modelinsurance.ca.gov
  17. insurance.ca.gov: California FAIR Planinsurance.ca.gov
  18. insurance.ca.gov: release065 2024insurance.ca.gov
  19. insurance.ca.gov: Order No 2025 1 Approving the California FAIR Plan Association s Request to Issue Assessmentinsurance.ca.gov
  20. insurance.ca.gov: release052 2025insurance.ca.gov
  21. insurance.ca.gov: Insurance surge expanding options for Cainsurance.ca.gov
  22. insurance.ca.gov: release005 2026insurance.ca.gov
  23. insurance.ca.gov: release079 2025insurance.ca.gov
  24. podcastrepublic.net: 1494964342podcastrepublic.net
  25. safelease.comsafelease.com
  26. safelease.com: safelease launches facility insurancesafelease.com
  27. usfa.fema.gov: protecting structures from wildfire embers and fire exposuresusfa.fema.gov
  28. youtu.be: BUVy0xxL6tgyoutu.be

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