Experts remain skeptical that new technologies can become fire -resistant communities

Since California continues to deal with the consequences of one of the most destructive fires in the history of US history, it remains an open debate as to whether builders and homeowners can build houses that can withstand these types of devastating events.

There are some examples of success, including the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades and the Expansive Getty Center in Brentwood. But can homeowners with limited resources prepare their real estate for this type of events?

Here the Institute for Business & Home Safety comes into play. The non-profit organization is an Organization for Research and Communication created by the real estate casual insurance industry in 1979. Since 2010, the institute for its state -of -the -art research has been known about how structures can withstand natural disasters such as fire and hurricanes.

In its 90 hectare center in Chester County, South Carolina, the institute tests the effectiveness of fire and wind-resistant building materials. The center includes a cave -like building in which full structures against wind, rain, hail and forest fires are tested.

Through this research, the institute developed a large number of apartment upgrades to help a property to withstand natural disasters and fires. This includes the installation of roofs, which consist of fire -resistant substances such as asphalt shingles, clay tiles, slate or metal. Another upgrade is the use of fire -proof siding made of concrete fiber board, stucco, brick or stone veneer.

“We want homeowners to be held away from the fact that they do not have to have a specific fortress to make their home resistant to wildfire,” said Sarah Dillingham, senior meteorologist and senior director of product design at the institute. “We have to treat a little differently than the running fire than others, because in a forest fire scenario, what you and your neighbors can do from the point of view of the reduction can affect both of you.”

A crucial step that the owner may not have thought about is the introduction of the underside of the eaves by installing sheets from non-compet Blone siding or 2-inch or thick wood. This will help to prevent fire from entering the attic. Include further possible upgrades: make stencils ember-resistant by absorbing a fine wire network via the openings; Cover gutters with non -combined material such as metal guards; Shearing scales, pergolas, play sets and all other outbuildings that are at least 30 feet from the house; And clear the vegetation to a distance of at least five feet from the outside of the house.

The institute also advises homeowners to replace outdoor doors with models made of metal, glass fiber or solid hardwood. All outer windows should be made with tempered, multiple glass or fire-resistant glass blocks. Build decks made of light concrete, aluminum or fire-rated composite cover materials.

The list of improvements includes tips on fences, creating forest fires, improving your fire fighting skills and working with neighbors and the community to better prepare for fires.

However, there is a crucial aspect of fire control that homeowners do not really have much say: the distance that their houses are from their neighbors. If you get closer to another structure to 20 feet or closer, there is an increasing chance that a fire will spread, says Dillingham.

“We see that the structural density is a big factor in these types of fire or wildfire events in the community,” said Dillingham, referring to the damage that was experienced in places such as Pacific Palisades, California.

Even the fire -resistant materials have their limits. Stephanie Pincetl, professor at the UCLA and founding director of the California Center for Sustainable Communities, fears these types of borders. Pincetl is skeptical about the idea of ​​creating fire -resistant communities in places such as Pacific palisades.

She said people have to understand that there is no real escape from the fires that devastated Southern California and killed at least 29 people. With the increase in climate change and other topics, there may be a limit on which builders can build houses.

According to Pincetl, some of the conditions in South California cannot really be reduced, such as the region, which has two years of severe precipitation, in which the undergrowth on the hills flourished over the Pacific palisades. Then came a year of drought, which made the vegetation tinder dry. The result was the structure of fuels that were only waiting to be inflamed. And she adds, these fires are almost always started by people in one way or another.

It also emphasizes that California building regulations for the prevention of fires are already the strictest in the country. The problem is that the area of ​​Los Angeles has many older houses that are very expensive to update and re -erect.

“You can harden the houses a lot, but at a certain point in time, with a hundred miles per hour with embers that many miles wear in front of you, the situation is really not overcome,” said Pincetl. “We should give up that we can master nature under all circumstances.”

The fire in Los Angeles will cost every homeowner across the country higher insurance calculations, said Pincetl. She wonders whether it is defensive for US home owners to pay higher insurance rates to defend land development that makes no sense at all.

“I think we have to be ready to accept that we may not build in places like the palisades,” said Pincetl. “The truth of the matter is that the person who does not constantly go out of everything.”