Wildfire Safe House — a non-profit organization dedicated to making houses more resistant to wildfire

Wildfire Safe House — a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to making houses more resistant to wildfire

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It’s a hot topic we can't ignore—

Intense wildfires fueled by drought conditions, and driven out-of-control by powerful desert winds, are now a clear and constant danger to the millions of families who live in suburbs and small towns throughout the western US.

Now, wildfire season comes every fall. When dry winds blow hard from the east, and fires start in the tinder-dry hills, all hell breaks loose when firestorms race west. Due to urban sprawl, the houses and neighborhoods found in the fire ’s path don’t stand a chance—they’re reduced to little more than charred rubble and lumps of molten metal.

But why do we allow something as small as a carelessly tossed cigarette butt cause so much property damage? With today’s science and technology, why do houses ignite so quickly? Is it simply unavoidable? No, it’s largely because their exteriors are built without flammability standards. There are plenty of one- and two-hour fire-resistive building codes for a dwelling’s interior, but not nearly enough for the exterior. It’s time for that to change, and it’s time to put builders and developers on notice who do not agree.

Developers must change and adapt to the environment they build in—the law requires no less. Under the law, mass-produced houses are “products” for purposes of application in strict liability tort. Depending on the geographic area, new houses are now designed to withstand earthquakes and/or severe weather. If not, the developers and builders are likely to be sued by those who lose their houses from such events.

Now it’s clear that many of these houses should also be protected from the wildfire threat. Proactive measures need to be introduced: fences and shrubs may burn, cars outside may burn, but the house should not, and its residents should not have to rebuild their lives and see their priceless family mementos reduced to ashes.

This change is long overdue—

The fundamentals of house construction haven’t changed much in over a century. Today, with so many new technologies available, there is no good excuse for houses in wildfire-prone areas to still be built from “matchsticks.”

It’s time for the latest flame-resistive products and chemistries to be applied to both existing and new houses. Doing so will significantly reduce property loss, taxpayer expense, insurance payouts, and heartache.

In wildfire-prone areas, the exterior of new and existing houses
should be fitted with the latest non-combustible products.

As example, an older house has a good chance of surviving a wildfire if it is retrofitted with dual-pane windows and non-combustible drapes, ember-proof vents, non-combustible roofing, siding, decking, and doors, and low-combustible landscaping.

click here to learn about our upcoming trial by fire^® testing program.