Wildfire Exposure
Wildfire exposure describes the hazard posed to buildings and outdoor installations by uncontrolled vegetation fires in forest-edge and drought-prone areas, and the protection measures derived from it.
Hazard picture
Vegetation fires develop during prolonged drought and high temperatures, are predominantly caused by human activity, and spread along forest and grassland areas. Buildings located in the wildland-urban interface are particularly exposed to ember showers landing on combustible roofing, radiant heat affecting façades, and ignition of vegetation and material stockpiles close to the building.
Protection measures
A vegetation-free or reduced-fuel buffer zone around buildings limits direct flame impingement; non-combustible roofing and façade materials, together with sealing roof openings against ember intrusion, further increase resilience. Combustible outdoor storage (timber, packaging) should be kept at an adequate distance from buildings, and firefighting water reserves and access routes must be kept clear.
Insurance relevance
Although large-scale wildfires are less frequent in Switzerland’s fragmented landscape than in southern European countries, exposure is increasing with prolonged dry periods. Property insurers are giving growing weight to wildland-urban interface exposure when assessing risk at affected locations.