Question about cali wildfires. (Santa Ana: houses, tile, gated)

[Berteau]

If these fires keep burning down homes, why don't they just clear away all the trees surrounding the homes so they don't catch the house on fire? How are they catching on fire if there is nothing around them to burn?

[evening sun]

Wind carries burning embers.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

It's a bit too late to demo when the fire is on the ridge above your house. Defense-able space takes time, effort and money. Even then it won't always help.

[Berteau]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

It's a bit too late to demo when the fire is on the ridge above your house. Defense-able space takes time, effort and money. Even then it won't always help.

It can't take that long to cut down trees around your home. Or you could always DO IT AHEAD OF TIME.

[evening sun]

it helps in some cases, but even if you have, gravel only, in your yard, if a burning ember lands on the roof or the porch, the house can be on fire instantly. Everything is also very dry. The winds do carry fire.

[lvmensch]

Originally Posted by Berteau

It can't take that long to cut down trees around your home. Or you could always DO IT AHEAD OF TIME.

It is actually the other way. The houses go first and set the trees on fire. The problem in CA is that Santa Ana blow embers up to a mile in front of a fire and may well be dense at a thousand feet. So what catches the house is accumulated flammable materials around the house. There have been reports of homes bursting into flames with 100 feet of clear dirt in all directions.

What is needed is very fire proof homes with carefully planned and irrigated vegetation which will suppress embers. And then you may need some luck.

[mysticaltyger]

I don't believe the official story we're told in the media about the California:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhHOMU-IhHA

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by Berteau

It can't take that long to cut down trees around your home. Or you could always DO IT AHEAD OF TIME.

That's what I said. Did you miss it? Do you think you can run outside with fire on the ridge, cut down all your trees and have them not burn? @ 1400 degrees they don't just burn if they are green they explode.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by lvmensch

It is actually the other way. The houses go first and set the trees on fire. The problem in CA is that Santa Ana blow embers up to a mile in front of a fire and may well be dense at a thousand feet. So what catches the house is accumulated flammable materials around the house. There have been reports of homes bursting into flames with 100 feet of clear dirt in all directions.

What is needed is very fire proof homes with carefully planned and irrigated vegetation which will suppress embers. And then you may need some luck.

Yep, ceramic/clay tile roofs, screens over vents and lot's of thick stucco at least increase your chances.

[Jimrob1]

I was surprisd to see so little about the fires on CD. I haven't lived there for years, but fire danger always worried me there. This year seems especially bad for the state. Hope the fires are contained and over with soon.