But you just completely contradicted yourself in terms of additional cost. And that story says those fire-resistant codes have been in place in California since 2007. So every home built since 2007 already meets those codes. "Wood roofs aren't allowed. Decks and siding must be fire-resistant. Attic vents need to be covered in mesh to prevent embers from getting through. Homes must also have "defensible space," limiting the amount of flammable vegetation immediately around it."
Los Angeles fire-resistant codes are among the strictest, from what I've read. But even if you don't have landscaping, with 100 mph winds, those flames are going to go wherever they want. And we replaced the original 1950s wood shingled roof with a fire-resistant material -- but even that burns if the conditions are right.
The only reason the wind blows 100 MPH is because liberal cultural Marxist politicians in California refuse to enforce speed limits. Trump WILL NOT tolerate such lawlessness from nature.
"We're gonna build a really great wall! It'll be so bigly and so beautiful! Some people will say it'll be the most beautiful, bigliest wall of all time...and we're gonna make Mother Nature pay for it!"
I thought this article would help people visualize the acreage/Sq. Mileage fire damage better. https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/17/us/maps-visuals-palisades-fire-dg/index.html
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/17/nx-s...ensible-space?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us Talks about mitigation techniques, not just building materials but vegetation and distances to prevent. But it is clear all this is mitigation, not absolute prevention. And it also seems to be looking at only single-family homes.
Been watching some videos of the firefighting from the air. Not all are from these current fires, but man, those guys are amazing. Here is a bit about them and what goes on. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-7391e1a7-968a-4cf3-aa2a-d79c0ff994c3
Hey neighbor, I grew up in Eagle Rock. This year, the day after Thanksgiving will mark the 50th anniversary of my parents, immigrants from El Salvador, bought my childhood home. My mother and brother still live in the home..I never left this great area. One of the most diverse parts of the United States as I said on the previous post.
Former neighbor. Grew up across the bridge from HP and have since moved. I was really sad to see it get gentrified. And, yeah, really loved the diversity of the area.
I almost bought a home in Altadena twenty years ago. I love the area but I realized early on, that it was too far from the 210 freeway for me. I suppose it was a sixth sense that the area is more vulnerable to fires. The area has experienced major fires in 1993, 2009, 2020 and the Eaton Fire.
The story confirms that these mitigating factors have been in place for all new homes in California due to statewide codes since 2007 and bemoans that other western states don't have such statewide regulations. Also there's the local codes "Los Angeles has rules requiring defensible space, mandating that trees be trimmed back from the roofline and bushes be spaced out. Homes in high risk areas get yearly inspections to ensure homeowners comply". "California is currently drafting rules that will put even stricter limits on vegetation directly next to a house's walls".
I remember the fire that came over the mountain like the Eaton fire in 1993 (before I moved away). I was doing jury duty at the time, and we were watching the smoke from downtown LA. I also had a former girlfriend who almost lost their home in that fire. Her house was a few blocks from the fire.
My dad taught ESL in El Sereno for 30 years, not too far from either of those places. My best high school friend lives there now, it’s a cool neighborhood.
Years ago I briefly worked with a guy who was a Hotshot wildland firefighter. He described to me their training regimen and it sounded more like an elite branch of the military, those guys are frickin studs.
Yup. I've read a story or two about how those guys are out fighting a fire and then all of a sudden the wind shifts, they are like "Oh, shit, we aren't out running that." And they pull out their protective "blanket" and ride out the fire underneath/inside hoping they don't suffocate. First time I heard about that, they guy was like, "It was close, but we still had a fire to fight." Like he almost got burned alive, and was "I need to kill that thing that almost killed me." Those people are ********ing amazing!
The vast majority of homes destroyed in the wildfires were built well before 2007. Also, this article claims current fire-resistant are strict enough: https://www.ecohome.net/guides/4019...-resistance-code-be-expanded-for-urban-areas/ I hope Gov. Grewsom is smart enough to enact the absolute strictest codes, because these wildfires are bound to happen again, and they're gonna get a lot worse as well
Also, 50% of all the destroyed homes were not in WUI zones https://www.ecohome.net/guides/4019...-resistance-code-be-expanded-for-urban-areas/