Recent devastating wildfires across California are prompting homeowners and builders to rethink traditional construction methods. Focusing on fire-resistant materials and techniques, a new era of wildfire-conscious homebuilding is emerging.
In the wake of recent wildfires, homeowners and builders in the Bay Area and across California are rethinking the ways to better protect their homes. Jimmy Singer's family has lived on the heavily wooded hillsides of Mill Valley for decades. Homes are surrounded by towering redwoods and other vegetation that can quickly become tinder for a destructive wildfire. 'Living in the hills in California , we've thought about fires forever,' said Singer.
Singer does what he can to harden his home and make it more fire-resistant, including working with neighbors to help maintain defensible space. 'It kind of brings a community aspect to know that if I do all this work on my property, somebody sharing the fence line is also doing that work too,' said Singer. But the longtime resident says other steps like replacing the siding of an older home with newer composite material to make it more fireproof, can be extremely cost-prohibitive for homeowners. While there is only so much that can be done to harden older homes, new construction in an unprecedented era of wildfire destruction, is vastly different. 'With the foam blocks, they are fire rated,' said homebuilder Paul McGregor. McGregor cuts, and stacks the foam blocks before pouring concrete into the cavities. 'It's just one of those things you learn more of, as you go along,' said McGregor. The foam blocks are designed with fire-retardant properties which minimizes the risk of fire spread. This type of construction also minimizes the use of wood in the construction of homes. By doing it this way, he estimates a 10% added cost compared to a typical wood stick framing job. 'I wouldn't recommend tearing down a house and doing this, but I would recommend doing it from the start, from scratch. It would make sense,' said McGregor. McGregor is not required by building code to add this extra layer of protection. But considering the house is in a wildland urban interface zone, where human development meets undeveloped wildland, it's a no-brainer. 'Houses are burning down to the ocean, so you got to take precautions at this point in time. You can't think that it's not going to touch you,' said McGregor. Housing experts say meeting or exceeding local building codes will result in something far more resistant than houses built 30 or 40 years ago, like many of those that have burned recently in Los Angeles. For homeowners like Singer, the task of protecting property is paramount. 'Taking it seriously and taking those lessons so we set ourselves up to not be the next Palisades Fire,' said Singer. The goal is to minimize risk, as homeowners and builders look for new ways to tackle a growing concern of wildfires wiping out entire communities
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