Why Did These Homes Survive the LA Wildfires When Their Neighbors Didn’t?

If you’ve seen pictures of the devastation left in the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires that have wiped out entire neighborhoods, you’ve probably been struck by the enduring image of one home still standing among the rubble without so much as a scorch mark on it. You might attribute its survival to luck or, if you’re a religious person, divine intervention.

The answer might more realistically lie in a series of smart design choices that kept the inevitability of wildfires in mind. While luck certainly is in play, a more realistic view is the adage that luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Choosing the right materials and implementing smart construction techniques will do you a lot more good than hoping the fire embers hop over your home. Or, as California architect Greg Faulkner said while speaking to the Associated Press, because there are, say, 50 ways a fire can burn your house. And “if you eliminate half of those, or three-quarters of them, that’s not luck, that’s increasing your odds.”

Some LA Homeowners Were Lucky to Survive Wildfires. Others Had Smartly Designed Homes.

Faulkner, an architect specializing in fire-resistant home design, says that fire-resistant materials should be installed all around the home. Just as homeowners in South Florida protect against hurricane-force winds by installing sturdy metal roofs and wind-resistant windows, homes in California should install fire-resistant roofs, walls, and windows.

Homes with traditional wood sidings are a fire waiting to happen in an area prone to wildfires. Alternatives like stucco or fire-resistant gypsum-backed wood siding are much preferable. They slow the spread of heat to the interior of the house, increasing the home’s chances of surviving fire.

Double-pane windows can reduce heat transfer from threatening exterior flames. Some homes go even further by installing fire shutters that protect windows by completely closing them off of the blaze, also a lot like South Floridians do with hurricane shutters.

Ventilation systems with vent covers that automatically close when exposed to fire are a wise choice. External sprinkler systems can help dampen grass and keep flames at bay. All of the stuff costs money that some homeowners just can’t afford.

Buying a home with the stuff already installed can raise the price from 3 to 6 percent and by as much as 10 percent if the house is really decked out in fire-resistant materials. It will eventually pay off if it keeps a home from being reduced to embers during the next wildfire.