Architecture Committee: June 2022

Wood Shake Roofs
The devastating May 11 fire in Laguna Niguel which destroyed 20 houses and severely damaged 11 others must surely have caught the attention of homeowners in Niguel Shores.
It would be foolish of us to assume that our commu- nity is not vulnerable to a multi-dwelling fire. While the Aliso-Woods Canyon tragedy was caused by a brush fire, it was startling to see how once in the residential neighbor- hood, the wind-fueled flames jumped quickly from house to house. Although our community is not adjacent to a can- yon, we live on a windy bluff-top where a small structure fire could quickly escalate during this period of sustained drought. It makes sense to take inventory of any possible hazard your home and the area surrounding it may contain. The first area you might check is your roof.
Subsequent to the Laguna Niguel fire, the Architecture Committee has received a surge of applications to replace wood shake roofs. In the 1970s and 80s wood shake roofs were a popular design element and many Niguel Shores homes were finished in that style. Fire departments and fire technol- ogy experts have classified wood shake roofs as an identifiable hazard. Replacing your wood shingle roof should be a priority for the protection of your home, family and neighbors.
Over time, the elements of Southern California weather cause wooden shingles to decompose and dry out, creating kindling for the tiny embers expelled by a fire source. Most multi-structure fires occur during periods of strong wind, sending out thousands of embers, only one of which is nec- essary to ignite a wooden shingle.
A recent inventory of homes in Niguel Shores indicates that we have 132 dwellings with wood shingle roofs. Insur- ance carriers now identify specific areas of the country as fire prone and will require the removal or replacement of combustibles before writing or renewing a home insurance policy. Among the examples given were required enclosure of eaves and replacement of a shake roof.
A good safety practice is to survey the area around your home to remove dry foliage, adjacent wooden structures and have your roof inspected every five years regardless of its composition. Let’s keep Niguel Shores protected and safe!
—Mike Stively