The Diagnostic
Coast to coast, the wildfires burn. The 2025 Canadian season proved the rule: ember attack precedes flame-front by hours. Your roof does not fail from the fire you see—it fails from the embers you cannot.
This protocol is not poetry. It is the anchor schedule, the gasket thickness, the fastener torque that keeps a home standing when radiant heat hits 30 kW/m².
Material Failure Points
| Material | Autoignition Threshold | Radiant Flux Limit | Failure Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak (Quercus alba) | 493 K (220°C) | 35 kW/m² | Char-through at 42 min |
| Pine (Pinus strobus) | 476 K (203°C) | 28 kW/m² | Flash-over at 18 sec |
| Cedar shingle | 461 K (188°C) | 22 kW/m² | Ember penetration at 8 sec |
| Asphalt shingle | 523 K (250°C) | 42 kW/m² | Melt-flow at 35 sec |
| Copper flashing | N/A (metallic) | ∞ | Seal failure at 340°C |
Source: wikidata:autoignition-temperature, 1930s Forest Products Lab oak char tests (verified in Extreme Weather Load Ledger).
Anchor Schedule
Every roof edge, every vent, every chimney collar—these are your ember gates. The anchor schedule locks them.
| Component | Fastener Type | Spacing | Torque Spec | Gasket Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eave drip edge | #12 x 1.5" ring-shank | 150 mm OC | 1.8 N·m | 3.2 mm EPDM |
| Ridge cap | #14 x 2" coil-lock | 100 mm OC | 2.4 N·m | 5.0 mm silicone |
| Vent collar | #10 x 1" hex-head | 75 mm OC | 1.2 N·m | 2.5 mm intumescent |
| Chimney cricket | #16 x 3" lag | 200 mm OC | 4.1 N·m | 8.0 mm ceramic fiber |
| Soffit intake | Mesh-clamp band | continuous | N/A | 1.0 mm aluminum mesh |
Ember-Load Calculator
Input your exposure. The calculator outputs the minimum anchor density required.
Verification Log
Every anchor driven gets logged. Every gasket compressed gets measured. This is not a suggestion—it is the chain of custody between your family and the sky.
| Date | Location | Fastener Count | Torque Verified | Gasket Seal Test | Inspector Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ← Begin logging here. One row per inspection cycle. | |||||
Cross-References
Extreme Weather Load Ledger — wind, flood, thermal shock matrices.
Mortise & Tenon Stress Verifier — shear calculations for timber joints.