"Lessons learned from catastrophic and deadly wildfires that ravaged California in recent years could help residents and communities in and near forested areas limit damage from future fires, a first-of-its-kind study suggests. And experts say the researchers' conclusion that clearing flammable materials for five feet around houses the area targeted as Zone 0 under a looming and controversial state-wide regulation should also help residents in fire-risk zones understand the need for such measures."
"Three key lessons for protecting homes from wildfire emerged, two of them applying to individual homeowners hardening houses against fire, and clearing nearby flammable materials like plants and fences and one requiring communitywide action. It isn't just about you doing it, said UC Berkeley fire scientist Michael Gollner, one of the study's authors. It's really about a communitywide effort. You can do all the right things, and if your neighbors' homes are not protected at all, that can create a really big risk."
Five major California wildfires — the 2017 Tubbs Fire, 2019 Kincade Fire, 2020 Glass Fire, 2017 Thomas Fire and 2018 Camp Fire — together destroyed about 27,000 structures and killed 109 people. Three key lessons emerged for protecting homes: harden structures against fire; clear nearby flammable materials such as plants and fences, especially within a five-foot Zone 0; and implement communitywide coordination. Dense neighborhoods transmit flames and embers between closely spaced homes, reducing the effectiveness of individual measures unless neighbors also harden and clear their properties. Communitywide efforts therefore markedly increase household survivability during extreme wildfires.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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