Why hoses and sprinklers may not save a home from wildfire
As the Spokane wildfires demonstrate the destructive power of wind-driven flames and embers, fire experts say evacuation and work completed well before a fire are more effective than relying on a garden hose.
Geoff Cornish talks with James Johnson of the University of Oregon about why wildfire threats remain elevated and what communities should watch for in the weeks ahead.
Devastating wildfires in the Spokane, Washington, area have renewed questions about whether homeowners can protect their properties with hoses or sprinklers.
Fire experts say water may help extinguish individual embers, but residents should not remain behind during an evacuation to defend a home.
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“This is a good and highly debated topic. There are a few different opinions on this, in the fire service, but the overwhelming one is that in general it is not recommended to stay back and do this ... But to evacuate before you would reach this decision point,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Geoff Cornish, who is also a volunteer firefighter.
Wildfires can shift direction and intensity quickly, especially when strong winds carry flames and embers into neighborhoods. Staying behind can also put firefighters at risk if conditions worsen and a resident needs to be rescued.
Sprinklers can reduce water pressure for firefighters
Wildfires burn homes and other structures in Spokane County, Washington, on Aug. 2, 2026. (Image credit: Spokane County Fire District 8 Firefighters Local 3711)
Leaving sprinklers and hoses running after evacuating can create another problem by reducing the water pressure available to crews.
“People are also advised not to turn sprinklers and hoses on and leave, especially in climates that are drier, during a large wildfire, because it will drain water resources and fire crews will suffer due to lack of water pressure from hydrants," Cornish said. "So they may not be able to use water where they really need it."
Water placed on a roof too early may also evaporate before embers arrive, explained University of Oregon Fire Ecology and Restoration Forestry Expert James Johnston.
A resident uses a garden hose to water his roof as the wind driven Bain fire burns nearby on May 19, 2026 in Jurupa Valley, Califonria. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“The most important vector for wildfire ignitions in the home is your roof,” Johnston told AccuWeather. “Flaming material is getting thrown in front of the fire front. It can land in your roof and your gutters. So if you wet your roof and your gutters, you can keep those embers from catching fire.”
“But that water evaporates really quickly in the conditions we're having now. It's really unlikely that you're going to be able to put enough moisture in your property to keep pace with evaporation,” Johnston said.
Remove what embers can ignite
An aerial view of Eaton Fire survivor Ted Koerner's new home, the first fully rebuilt home completed following the Eaton Fire, after receiving his certificate of occupancy from Los Angeles County officials on December 3, 2025 in Altadena, California. Koerner’s 2,160-square-foot single-family home incorporates fire prevention measures including concrete roof tiles, sprinklers, and eaves which are enclosed. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Instead of relying on last-minute watering, experts say residents should focus on eliminating the dry, combustible material that windblown embers can ignite.
“The best practices are typically done long before a fire by ‘hardening’ your home, managing the landscape by not having combustible vegetation in the ‘defensible space’ around your home, etc.,” Cornish said.
Home hardening can include using fire-resistant building materials, covering vulnerable vents, maintaining roofs and gutters and reducing combustible material immediately next to a structure. Defensible space involves managing vegetation and other fuels around a home, so the fire has fewer pathways to reach the building.
Johnston said residents facing elevated wildfire danger should clear dead leaves, grass and other flammable debris from roofs, gutters and anything within 5 feet of a home.
File photo: A man waters the roof of his home to protect the house as the Line Fire burns in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, forcing evacuations for neighborhoods on September 7, 2024 in San Bernardino, California. (Photo by Apu Gomes/Getty Images)
Power tools and equipment can produce sparks or hot exhaust capable of igniting dry vegetation, so major landscaping work should not be attempted during extreme fire conditions.
“I don't think now is the time to be cutting down shrubs and trees, because you're creating as much fuel as you're removing, and you could also start a fire with that equipment,” Johnston said. “But you could right now be clearing away the most flammable material from your roof and from immediately around your house.”
Johnston said the greatest misconception may be the belief that a home is not threatened because flames are not yet visible nearby.
“The biggest misconception people have about risk is whether they're at risk at all. If you're in the vicinity of fuel and there's hot and dry conditions, all that's required is an ignition for you to be at significant danger from fast-moving wildfire or a structure fire,” Johnston said.
When officials issue an evacuation order, residents should leave promptly. Preparation completed before smoke appears offers a safer defense than relying on a garden hose as a wildfire approaches.
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