Weathered timber battens atop a pergola, sitting hard against the house roofline
Look up next time you're under your pergola. Those timber battens shading you from the sun could be quietly building an ember trap right against your home.
Pergolas built hard against the house, especially ones with timber battens laid straight across the roof structure, create narrow gaps that are perfect for catching wind-blown embers. Add leaf litter, twigs and dust that settle into those gaps over time, plus timber that's gone grey and dry from years without oiling or painting, and you've got fuel sitting right where your roof meets the wall.
Risks
Narrow gaps between battens catch embers and let them smoulder out of sight
Leaf litter and debris collect in those same gaps, adding extra fuel
Weathered, unmaintained timber dries out and cracks, so it ignites more easily and burns faster than timber that's been sealed or maintained
Pergolas often sit hard against the house wall or under the eaves, so a fire here can spread straight into the roof space
Fixes
Clear leaf litter, twigs and dust from between the battens each year, and again just before fire season
Check the timber annually for cracking, splitting or greying, and repair or replace anything past its best
Oil, seal or paint the battens, this helps slow how quickly they'd ignite
Where you can, swap out the battens closest to the house for non-combustible options like steel or fibre cement
Keep the pergola clear of cushions, mats or other combustible items that add extra fuel
If you're building or replacing a pergola, design it so the battens and roof junction are easy to access, maintain and monitor rather than tucked out of reach
None of this takes long, and it's the kind of small fix that genuinely helps. Know your zone, look up as well as down, and address the weak links closest to your home first. These changes go a long way towards protecting your family.
For more on hardening your home against embers, visit our Resource Hub
