Wildfire Study Identifies New Risks and Recommendations for California Homeowners

The Institute for Business & Home Safety announced July 22 its findings from comprehensive research into the 2007 Witch Creek Wildfire, which damaged or destroyed nearly 1,700 structures in San Diego County, Calif., causing $1 billion in insured losses.

IBHS evaluated nearly 3,000 homes to determine why some survived and others did not despite facing similar wildfire conditions. The study also analyzed meteorological conditions, vegetation and topography, building characteristics, and social attitudes.

Major findings of this IBHS study include:

Homes situated less than 15 feet apart are at high risk. While homes adjacent to wildlands are most vulnerable, homes in the interior areas of neighborhoods that were located less than 15 feet apart were much more likely to burn in clusters.
Wind-blown embers caused the most damage to homes during this wildfire. In fact, there were few, if any, reports of homes burned as a result of direct contact with flames.
None of the homes in communities built using Shelter-in-Place standards burned. The code-plus requirements for the construction and ongoing maintenance of these communities proved to be extremely effective in reducing damage.

“This exciting new research not only reinforces what we already know it also points to additional risks for homeowners, which gave us the opportunity to identify effective new solutions,” said Julie Rochman, IBHS president/CEO, at a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. “California is a leader when it comes to fire-resistant building codes. The concern now is helping the many thousands of people whose homes were built before modern wildfire standards to understand how to minimize their risk.”

While this research focuses on Southern California, the results have application nationwide now that one-third of homes is in the Wildland Urban Interface.

Source: Institute for Business & Home Safety

Posted: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 4:04:17 PM.

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