As an Australian Engineer it is surprising how little is known in the USA about bushfires. California needs to adopt Australian Standards for bushfire. We grade properties in terms of a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) and this depends on both the distances and direction to fire sources. It includes the topography and the growth type. The biggest threat to properties is not the flame front. It is the ember attack. The embers can fly hundreds of yards and even up to a mile in front of the flame front. A 5 foot fence will not provide any protection. The intense fire front may pass the property at great speed and may only be an issue for several minutes. Embeds get caught in window frames, under eaves, in gutters, under timber decks, even breaking through windows, etc. This is what sets the house on fire. If you can survive the fire front and extinguish the embers you will generally save the house. Good fire construction requires you to keep the embers from catching the frame alight. The meshes that he has shown are for screens over the windows themselves and over the gutters to stop leaves from sitting inside the gutters. We also install cement sheeting under the decking boards to prevent embers from dropping down under the decks. Specific timber species are allowed depending on the BAL rating. We also fill gutters with water and install sprinkler systems that come on after a fire to extinguish embers. Every property by law has fire tanks, pumps and generators. Some have underground fire refuges but they must have their own oxygen supply as the oxygen gets sucked out by the fire. California has a lot to learn.
Commforina would rather spend money on drugs for criminals than spend money for fire prevention. They are too busy blaming Trump for the fires. Also, a lot of the people in America are too lazy to break a sweat to do that kind of work. They would expect $800 an hour to work that hard.
Retired UK Building Surveyor and Engineer here . Checked out your Building Regs ( Codes) and can only say that we have not built this way in the UK since 1666 when the Great Fire destroyed London . Even Class A construction would be un insurable in the UK .Timber frame construction is permissable here but the specs are much higher . Usually a render finish over metal lathing on 50mm mineral fibre insulation on a microporous fireproof wallboard , vapour barrier on timber stud or Seghal frame . One or 2 layers of Gyproc wallboard inside to achieve I hour internally . The product displayed is known here as expanded metal lathing by Expamet and available in galvanised or stainless Steel. Flat rooof dressing is known as " solar chippings ", usually of limestone used to protect 3 layer felt or bitumastic coatings .
I am a welder and I built a perimeter fence for a client just before the Woolsey fire ....I made it out of perforated steel for privacy and also fire resistance.....the fire department came and inspected after the fire and told the homeowner that the fence saved their home .....when the client evaluated he confided in me he looked back a last time thinking his home was going to burn down because the neighbor had massive pine trees and needles as fuel .....on foot deep in pine needles fuled that fire .....that fence held the fire at bay ....fence created an effective fire break and served as a radiator to decapitate the extreme heat on the fence
I used to live in Altadena (2004-16). I contatcted a neighbor Friday. She said she had to evacuate. When she returned, NO HOUSES on the block were harmed!🙏
I built my home in a forest. It’s a vaulted roof. Closed hot roof design. Metal roof. I also put 6’ of class “A” rock around my home. This spring I plan to install a sprinkler system pulling water from a pond, that will list the entire home in the event of a forest fire. Most of my windows are tempered as well. I hope what I’ve done will keep my home from ever burning down
I understand water is an issue but I don’t understand why more people aren’t installing cisterns for rainwater and sprinkler systems? Is the water situation that scarce?
There exists a sprinkler specifically for mounting on a roof. You screw the foot to the soffits and the pipe reaches up over the edge of the roof, and sprinkles up toward the peak of the roof.
@@croboy751you would have to have a huge cistern and it would take a while to fill it with rainwater. Another issue would be that you would need electricity to operate a pump to get it out of the cistern. Electricity is likely to get turned off in fire conditions so they don’t fall preventing fire fighters to enter zone. Additionally sparks from live wires can start new fires.
Australia architects really pay attention to fire risks. And you can't over emphasize the importance of windows that don't break either from the heat or from being hit by fire hoses. If you don't have tempered glass you need to cover the windows with metal shutters.
Though wouldn't you have to be careful about the metal shutters. As in an aluminum shutter would protect you from the blowing embers but might melt if the fire gets close.
@@nanoflower1 there are steel shutters available if you worry about aluminum shutters. You also can add swing shutters made from fiber or steel. They look even nicer.
Lived in SoCal for 30+ years. The Santa Ana winds have been a regular visitor for centuries. Matt is correct, builders need to keep the effects of windblown embers in mind when designing structures.
The issue wasn't only with the structures themselves; the mass loss occurred due to the delay in deploying the full array of firefighting resources. In contrast, Orange County, which regularly experiences the same or higher sustained winds, immediately deploys all available air resources, which prevents a larger-scale loss of homes. This swift response made all the difference. They had the firefighting CH-60 Chinooks in Van Nuys (was there since Dec 26th) and refused to use them. The winds at the time of the genesis of the fire was not out of the norm but delaying the resources was the issue.
Of especial importance is using metal soffits that will not allow wind blown embers enter under the roof. That and flammable fences should not get anywhere close to a structure
Hi there. First time on your channel but born and raised in southern California. Since 2008 I’ve been doing all kinds of swimming pool work. Maintenance and construction and plumbing etc. any time I do any pump and plumbing work I always always always put in a spot for a spot for a garden hose AND a spot for a 2” trash pump hose for this reason. Customers always ask me why and I say, “better to be safe than sorry. Protect your property. You have 20k+ gallons sitting right here. Make it work for you” and I was taught this by two old timers. It’s crazy that with all the pools we have, not a lot have any type of spigot at all. I’m sad for my town. But we learn and grow strong
Great idea but what if the electricity goes down. Best to have a portable gas water pump to use with pool water, that's if you can find a gas pump. All small gas engines have been banned for sale in the state starting in 2024.
@igotstaknowit you’re not wrong. And belive this passed Xmas eve and into the 25th we had no power until 8am. But besides the fact these people don’t even mow their own lawns, 80% of them wouldn’t know how to work a trash pump. But when they want to impress their friends, they always wanna know how to run their pool motors. I sold my business and work for the #4 largest automaker. Long story short I tell people “we can’t even run our ac’s at the same time during the summer. You think we can charge our cars too?” And that applies to “electric trash pumps” or anything that had small gas motors now being electric. Will do no good in a survival situation.
Thank you, Matt. I’m an architect and have lived in Southern California for 62 years. I spent my teen years in Pacific Palisades so I’ll speak about that fire. I’m in no way saying it’s more important than Altadena. I am heartbroken that the small town of my youth is gone. Literally gone. Some added information about the winds for you. Firstly, Santa Ana winds are strong very dry winds that suck the moisture out of anything they touch. The second issue is called a mountain wave. In essence the strong winds striking a mountain at close to perpendicular race up the face like water up the back of a wave. It breaks over the top and rushes down the “face of the wave” creating strong gusts. Take 60mph Santa Ana winds and amplify them by the mountain wave and you have 100mph dry gusts. This is what hit the palisades. This is also why fire burned downhill. These measures you talk about will help greatly. But it is also luck of the draw. This was hard to watch but I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness.
I have friends all over SoCal and have lived in NorCal and SoCal for many years. So many structures are surrounded by mulch and vegetation, and folks have to start being cited and/or losing their insurance if they do not have even basic defensive space around their homes/properties. We've also got to invest in downtown housing, and yes, that means more people living in apartments, and stop extending homes and neighborhoods into highly sensitive fire zones. It's just not worth peoples lives.
Wind tides is the term we use. Certain places along the west side of the Appalachians experience them. I live in one, and we will have 60+ winds for days, and less than a mile away, it will be dead calm.
Regarding the mountain waves, the winds in LA can be so blustery that twice I have been on airplanes that had to do a touch-and-go while while attempting to land at LAX in the Santa Ana Winds. People not from LA don't understand just how bad the winds can get.
A more generally applicable example, from a very similar situation, occurred during the Marshall Fire in Louisville, Colorado. One section of newly built homes all survived when houses across the street (on 3 sides if I remember correctly) all burned down. They were constructed with cement fiber siding and without soffit/attic vents. This prevented the windblown embers from finding ingress. The conditions and visuals are frighteningly familiar. There was no stopping the fire, there was only the race to evacuate as many as possible before the fire cut them off. I remember being glued to the local weather data praying for the wind speed to drop - and that it wouldn't turn towards us.
The man you were showing in the 60 min video lost his sister who lived next door to him and didnt evacuate in time, so he was mourning more than just his house.
We had a structure that burned in the Mountain Fire near Somis, CA in November. It was a stick framed structure, completely wrapped in Densglass, but had was small spot where we could not wrap it completely. The fire found the weak spot, burned like a cigarette until it got inside the densglass and burned the structure to the ground. So, for this to be effective, you have to think of every spot fire can penetrate through the surface. The building was constructed in 2021 and met/exceeded all CA fire codes.
THANK YOU for talking about Tom Hanks home and how he made it fire proof because I have seen in a few comments on other pages that firefighters protetced his home because he was Tom Hanks and let others burn.....This proves that he basically protected him own home but being smart when he built it.
I am planning to build in an area that is prone to fires. Some of the tips brought up today will definitely be applied. Thank you Matt and thank you for being brave enough to quote from scripture
Perhaps you might want to have a look at this: Australian Standard (AS) 3959:2018 specifies the construction requirements for buildings in bushfire prone areas. It addresses all three heat transfer types - conduction, convection & radiation - and also ember attack. The following link will take you to a pdf copy of the 2009 version. www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-04/Standards%2520-%2520Construction%2520of%2520buildings%2520in%2520bushfire-prone%2520areas.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj244nf4_aKAxWY1DgGHa7FCfUQFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3an4Sqd4262L2592p1yzMt Good luck
Just build your house from stones ,steel and concrete. Use clay roof tiles and before you add the tiles you cover the roof construction with rock wool. Both of the materials not burning. For the walls I recommend a concrete wall system- a system like a lego Block ( formwork block) with two parts of fireproof Styrofoam. Between the two parts of foam you add reinforcement steel and last step you fill the space between the two part with concrete.. With this system you also isolate your house against heat or cold. After you build the walls, you add 3 different layer of plaster. You also can add any kind of steel or wooden boards etc. For the window you use thermo glass ( insulated glass windows (double glass) and install metal roller shutters to protect the windows against fire and burglar. The wall system is not more expensive than conventional walls. Very quick and easy to build a house.
I did some volunteer work in Hawai'i last year cutting a firebreak for a neighborhood to prevent house fires. I learned so much. Low grass is acceptable but even a 3-foot-tall tree is bad. And don't connect a wood fence directly to the house.
That wood siding looks like faux wood cement fiber board by the CereClad company. Very good looking product and obviously a very smart choice. Worth the money for sure. Great Video.
The one culprit of the fires nobody talks about is the invasive golden grass that covers the hills of California which were planted by early Spanish settlers for their livestock. Even if the forests were managed correctly you would still have issue with fires because the invasive grass is dry and highly flammable which makes it the primary source of fuel for the fires in places like the Pacific Palisades where there aren't dense forests. Native California grass aren't as flammable because their deep roots hold more moisture and native California tress also are resilient to fires that's why you see so many of them survive around homes that have burned down. The solution is to remove the invasive grass along with every invasive plant and tree species that aren't native to California, the work has to be divided between every California County and City. Building codes need to be updated to require metal roofs on all structures. Key West has required Metal roofs on all structures the great fire of Key West in 1886. A water system that allows for water to fall all along the sides of the structures like a small water fall with the water collected in gutters at the bottom of the house for reuse to provide constant flow of the water fall without the need for more water would be another layer of protection against the fires.
California is a wildfire ecosystem. As you say, even the vegetation is adapted and some trees even need fires to reproduce (sequoias). Not saying you shouldn't do anything, but California will always be at risk of fires no matter what.
One word: Goats! Goats can eat the tinder grass and excrete something far less flammable. They can remove vegetation where no mower or trimmer can reach.
I lived in Altadena from 1989 to 2014. Although my main retrofitting efforts concerned earthquakes, I also did what I could to make my stucco home fire-resistant. Unfortunately, it burned along with thousands of others. There's only so much you can do in a firestorm!
Thanks for mentioning the winds--I feel like a lot of folks don't grasp just how much that has impacted both how devastating they've been, and how hard it is to fight them.
The winds have always been matured eucalyptus trees that have evolved to burn everything ti the ground is new they create fire storms when mixed with winds embers are hotter burn longer and travel hundreds of kilometres, if this happened in summer California in its whole could burn and it spread to other states the danger of gumtrees pose to America is astronomical and you are clueless our trucks have fire protection systems to protect them from fire in a burn over the fire still destroys the truck just save the fire fighters that’s how hot they burn
We are building in a Wildland Urban Interface area in California near Lake Tahoe. Not only are we using high performance build techniques we learned on your channel (sealed crawlspace and attic, ZipR-3 sheathing around the house, dehumidifiers and Energy Recovery Ventilators) but we are also taking into consideration the defensible space and class A fire rated materials (gravel surrounding the house, Hardie lap siding and soffits, Versetta Stone accents, Titanium FR roof underlayment and standing seam metal roof). The project also inspired me to document the process on my YT channel. Thanks for getting the message out to everyone that a little bit of extra work could possibly save your house.
Consider EDCO siding and roofing to clad your houses in a fire proof exterior. Matt talked highly about it in his build show at th-cam.com/video/i2LKRXXgNug/w-d-xo.html
@@kennethhanes5438 Make your houses and buildings with steel reinforced concrete and the only parts not made out of reinforced concrete are the doors, windows, ventilation in and out ducts, etc. Better use ferrocement for the doors, in and out ventilation ducts, window shutters, ventilation pipelines, etc. Use stainless steel rebars and industrial cloth net and mesh and expanded metal net and so forth and so on.
In Japan we have glass with metal wires embedded so in the event of a fire the glass won’t shatter from the heat and remain in place. The only downside is the glass can develop cracks spontaneously during the summer when it’s hot.
I live in a coastal city in Taiwan where we are subjected to multiple typhoons every year and we also experience daily earthquakes with substantial earthquakes at least twice a month. Home insurance is not available. As most houses in the country, our house is made from concrete and re-bar - including the roof. When a category 5 hurricane blows through we do not evacuate. When a category 5 plus shakes our house we just roll over and go back to sleep. There is an occasional house fire, but they are very rare and house fires do not destroy the concrete structure. Perhaps, the reason for all the vulnerable houses in America is the universal presence of house insurance.
Also they build with so much wood which is combustible. You think they will learn and build with concrete and rebar. But it wouldn't be profitable if some are not making money. They don't want to change.
In the Carribbean much poorer countries than the US also build to earthquake standards and are hurricane resistant as a result. The US just seems to want cheap, disposable houses.
The one house had the gas meter boxed in along the fence line. Gas meters are known combust when heated. One fireman used milk and beer to cool off a meter that was connected to a house, and the house was saved.
A program I watched years ago on this subject explained that the heat of the fire is carried by the wind ahead of the fire. That heat will heat up the wood on a building till it is almost to combustion temperature. Then when the embers from the fire land on that wood, they are the trigger that causes the wood to start burning on contact and spread dozens of times faster than normal. Do like Matt has shown before and clad the entire exterior of a building with rock wool insulation and then cover that with steel or fiber cement siding and roofing, have something like steel shutters that can cover and protect the windows, then the exterior of the building is all but fireproof.
I have an outdoor fireplace in eastern Washington, with a 1/4" mesh over the chimney. I haven't burned down the neighborhood yet. The small embers go out before they reach the ground. I like those screens. Good idea. Also the aluminum window frames are a good idea. I took notes.
I have been asking why some houses survived and others didn’t so found this excellent. Love the Bible verse too ! Clearly man is struggling to deal with this by their own devises
As someone who grew up in a beautiful home in a forested property in Washington State, I was always afraid of fires, obviously. But I never ever even thought about the embers! At all. Even with all the campfires I have had. Those embers are crazy with the wind!
Tremendous job. I learned a lot - such as thinking about monopoly framing. Keep the info flowing. There is so much that can be done that makes a difference, such as the 5 foot defensible space. Looking forward to see what the building materials industry comes up with.
The high wall separating the property of Tom Hanks is what we call a FireWall. Stops the fire from easily spreading across. That height is important too, in addition to providing privacy.
@jsbrads1 The purpose is not to block the embers. Because those embers fly. Imagine doubling the height that wall would not even stop the embers from coming over. The wall blocks the fire spreading from the other side towards your side. As for the embers falling on top, use roofs that prevents or retards the burn. I suppose embers shouldn't stay lit for over a minute. Only way to survive.
@ okay, but look carefully at that wall, it is ground level at the top. Whole burning trees can fall into the property. Also embers can burn for a long time, a wild fire is much bigger than a camp fire and larger pieces can be lifted by an updraft.
In the Marshall Fire in Colorado a few years ago, the fire spread from Superior, across a freeway - US 36, to some commercial buildings in Louisville, to houses that were about 1000 ft away on a ridge, with relatively few structures burning between.
Those screens you mentioned are even better when dual layered. The outer screen acts as a blocker and the inner, the ventilation. This really helps to block the embers.
Matt, I've been watching the Build Show for many years and I have to say this coverage deserves a medal. The devastation in California is like hurricane Katrina but instead of rain, it's blowing flaming embers. Blowtorch is a good analogy. All the reservoirs and firetrucks in the whole state could never keep up with the spreading fires. I hope the incoming president sets his bias aside and grants California wildfire victims the support they need and deserve.
Bias? You mean the one that favors common sense? If it were up to me, I wouldn't send a dime for rebuilding until they commit to proper building techniques and proper forest and brush management. Their leadership allowed the problem and need to be called out. It's not fair for my money to go to people who waste it.
You say you 'hope' the incoming president sets his bias aside...based on his past behaviour, with past disasters, what would make you think he will do that? I would say, that based on his past behaviours he is more likely to exact retribution and make an example of them, of what will happen to you if you dare to cross the almighty Mr. Trump. There is nothing in his history that would indicate that he will change, or do anything different than what he has been doing up to now...because so far it has worked for him and people are still supporting and defending his ways of operating. Until someone puts a stop to it, he will continue to do what he's doing.
@@elgringoec Then the same should apply to Texas power grid and Louisiana's preparedness for Katrina. Trump made it very clear that he supports those who support him, and California or any blue state is not on his personal favorites list.
Contractor from Western India here. We do all our work in an active Seismic Zone. The code we use for Reinforced Concrete Structures should be implemented in California as well. We also have annual rainfall in excess of 100 inches.
Born and raised in Southern California saw many fires like this 100's of tract homes burned up. When get dry high winds fire starts up wood homes become the fuel and just jumps from house to house as the embers fly. Problem is always the same once it gets going not much they can do until the fuel runs out.
Thanks, Matt. I will also be looking at my own home's risks more carefully going forward. I live in Canada and several towns have been devastated by wild fires in recent years.
I heard a climate scientist say the Santa Ana winds have been made worse from the 1.5C warming so far, and unless geoengineering is seriously considered we will get to 2C to 3C before 2100. I passed this video to my friend for rebuilding and hardening his Mom's house that survived. Thanks Matt.
I think those double french on the lower floor are actually steel. I spent a lot of time back when the fires were ripping through Australia years back explaining to them the reason why for more than 50 years houses built out in the farmlands had metal roofs... nobody seemed to understand. Metal roofs, mudwashed walls, hoed perimeters and spare metal sheets leaning against the walls. The one that really gets me about Malibu is the couple houses there that survived had to resist INSANE amounts of heat coming off their neighbors. I hope Cal doesn't allow those homes to be rebuilt.
There’s also some great exterior sprinkler systems that can be incorporated to new builds or retrofitted onto older homes to protect them. There’s a few videos on TH-cam from people who experienced the camp fire a few years ago in northern California.
OMG that house just above Tom Hanks was my favorite LA home, worth $83M. Arvin Haddad said in his critique of that house that it would have trouble getting fire insurance and was in a dangerous location for fires. Now its gone. Beautiful home like no other. Was featured in Succession on HBO.
Thank you Matt. When we moved into our current home in 2002, under HOA rules all homes had to have wood shake roofs, no ifs and or buts. We live on 1+ acre parcels in the forest and I have 87 Douglas Fir trees on my acre. The first year I was a PITA at the HOA board meetings. I argued the facts of how a fire jumps from a wood shake roof to the trees and then from the trees to the next wood shake roof but the little Napoleon's in power would not listen. I demanded that we have a special HOA meeting with a quorum of the 105 home owners. I then asked the local Fire Marshal to attend that meeting and we had videos to show how bad Wood Shake is in the forest. Called the vote and it was like 95 for changing the rules, 5 voted to keep the shake roofs and 5 abstained. It was 6 weeks later my roof was replaced by a Class 1 GAF triple layer roof. Withing 10 years there were only 5 Shake roof and now just 2.
I've survived a number of wild bush fires in a high bushfire attack area The formula to protection is pretty simple 1. Make sure there is NO combustible material with-in yards of any buildings. Pine bark, flower beds, bushes, stacked firewood, old cars, really just anything stored against the house. Even if apparently non-combustible 'things' against the building can trap embers. 2. All external building materials must be non-combustible (This specifically excludes plastic siding, plastic gutters and down spouts, plastic window frames, tar product roofing such as asphalt shingles. It also excludes externally attached insulation.) Consider using Hardie-board, tiles, brick, stone, cinder block, concrete, steel sheet roofing, tile roofing 3. Consider ember attack, that being burning embers and sparks blowing on to and into the building. Reduce inside corners that can catch embers or specifically line internal corners with sheet iron flashing, fill the gap between gutter and eves with gauze or hardy board to stop embers getting into the roof space. Verandas are deadly catch points for embers so construct from non-flammables like cement, tile, pebbledash and remove all furniture and ember traps before the fire hits you. 4. For active protection install a garden sprinkler system with gas/diesel powered pump and the largest rainwater tank/s you can fit. Block your down pipes and fill the gutters with water and then set the irrigation to run just before you leave the property... and pray.
Look up and follow Australian bushfire standards you allowed gum trees to colonise and your standards aren’t up to scratch to those trees your fire trucks can’t even survive a clump of gum trees they’d burn them down from 10-20 meters away
Gas pumps are illegal in California. All small gas engines were banned for sale in 2024. No gas pumps, no gas generators, no gas chainsaws to quickly cut down trees.
21:30 1 very important point you missed is the location of the gas meter located in the fence away from the house and the gas line is underground not exposed to heat in case of a fire. That house is very well built
I would love to see a discussion about positive air to keep smoky air out and how to filter incoming air. Some homes that survive a fire are un-inhabitable due to smoke damage after surviving a neighborhood fire.
I've been to a few houses destroyed in bushfires that were lost due to embers that got around the garage door. Depending on the type of door, you can wind up with a gap about an inch deep, plenty of space for embers to blow in and land on all the flammable stuff people keep in their garages.
What a wonderful man and what an excellent presentation! Not because the quote came from the Bible but simply because of its beauty and the innate compassion which caused him to include it, made me tearful.
Im an engineer and a contractor from LA. I have to say it’s incomprehensible to me that a lot of people think building to code is equivalent to building a good house. I try to explain to them that building to cod is your base minimum. I know the homes that Matt builds is out of budget for a lot of people especially here in California. But still there are upgrades that are worth the initial investment. One such small upgrade is to use Vulcan Flame Resistant Vents instance of regular vents.
it's interesting to note the comparison between the great chicago fire and how that city rebuilt and how cities devastated by wildfire are learning to build resiliency.
Great video, especially for those that have no idea how to build fire resistant housing. I come from The Netherlands and we don't have space to spare when it comes to building houses. Most houses are connected or close to each other. The type of destruction seen in LA is just not possible in The Netherlands in the way we build.
We've already received calls and messages from folks whose homes were lost to talk about re-building with our concrete EverLog Siding. Some were mad because they were considering replacing their siding but just hadn't pulled the trigger yet. Our siding is 100% Class-A fire rated concrete but it looks like wood.
You need to build to Australian bushfire standards if you want a fire resistant house no house is fire proof unless it’s concrete and steel and buried in the ground with an oxygen supply because when you have gum tree on fire around your house like some do in California their is next to no hope of the house surviving let alone anything in it surviving because the gum trees will suck all the oxygen from the air in the house hence the own oxygen supply in a bunker bit
It sometimes pays to live in a boring slightly damp midwest state. Although a meteor did explode nearby a while back, so its hard to be prepared for everything.
Around here (British Columbia, Canada) both the fire departments and the public still seem fixated on FireSmarting homes. Nothing more. This involves removing combustibles from the perimeter and creating a 'defensible space'. What they don't understand is that a 'defensible space' only reduces risk and allows room for firefighters to work. It definitely helps to remove combustibles, but between ninety and approaching one hundred percent of all structure ignitions are caused by wind-blown firebrands (embers). If your home is not tight, if there is one little 2-3mm gap anywhere in the roof system or siding or crawl space, embers will find their way inside and ignite the nearest combustible materials. Without meticulous attention to these details your home *will* burn.
A bit south in 2022, in Bridgeport WA the fire came into town. It got to the Columbia River that was over 1,000 feet wide and jumped to the other side.
As for the house that survived I noticed how he didn't mention the garage behind the burnt car being untouched. Like the guy said "luck". That's why the garage is still standing. Luck.
I studied firefighting for rattlesnake. If I'm correct, the winds go up the canyon in the late evening and down the canyon in the morming (not sure early or late morning). I do not know if that is all mountain winds or if it is localized, but it seemed from my online classes that it was just overall like that. So basically, depending on the time of day, winds will go up or down the canyons
Houses with pools should have pool feed sprinkler systems on the roof to wet down the surrounding. I also noticed in many videos of the Palisades fire that the trash cans survived the blaze, why?
Pool pumps run on electricity. Electricity goes down on fires like this. The best alternative is a gas engine portable water pump. The bad news is the CARB banned the sale of all small gasoline engines in 2024. No gas pumps, no gas generators. Talk about bad timing.
@@OsotastyLordKCsome houses arrived because they weren't flammable. Most US houses are basically a box of matches by design. You could just use brick, clay tiles, etc but you don't. 🤷
THANK YOU for doing your due diligence and researching these fires vs houses thoroughly! I found everything you said to be accurate to my knowledge. Thank you from Northern California 👏🏻👊🏻👍🏻🖖🏻✌🏻 (Yes, y'all, I have 8+ yrs of direct fire fighting experience, both structure and wildland. Education never ends :)
In regards to the Eaton fire, that burned down ~2/3rds of Altadena. That suburban area, goes back to the early 1900s. Some parts back to the 1880s. Lots of vegetation. Most of it not native to that area. Most noticeably, high density of trees, that over shadow the roofs, and form a canopy over the narrow residential streets. A mix of broad leaf (oaks and maples) and tall pine trees. Lots of fuel, a few breaks. Built not just up to the wild hill country, but well into it.
Great video and I've known about this stuff for a long time - mostly from all the fires up in Northern California and many people who built homes with metal roofs, ember resistant decks and siding, and defensible space saw their house become "miracle homes". Shutters are also great for windows especially if your house is right up against a neighbor and will get direct heat and flame when it burns. I know people think they are ugly but you could even have emergency shutters that could be attached if you know a fire is coming. I've also seen ridge sprinkler systems with independent water and power sources, and even ridge retracting roof covers for people who can't have a class A roof. I'm also thinking some of the thermal break techniques you have will prevent heat being transmitted into a home which is important when there's combustible material on the inside. I've read that even glass fiber insulation can burn, that's scary. We really need huge incentives to build homes like these especially around perimeters and also to retrofit existing homes - just like we do for earthquakes. That could either be via insurance rebates, or direct incentives. Think about what even a fraction of the $200B in homes lost (so far) could have done if spent on preventative retrofitting. And remember there's a herd immunity thing here - you don't need every single home to be fireproof - but every one added can help save a neighboring house which saves another and another and so on. These homes in LA will probably cost high six figures if not in the millions to rebuild - surely tens of thousands of dollars in material and construction upgrades is worth that - especially if you get a discount on insurance for the lifetime of the home.
You have mature gum trees you should be following Australian bushfire standards, you need to retrofit your fire trucks with Australian burn over systems or you’ll loose entire strike teams because their was a gum or two near by
Thank you for this very helpful information. I can’t help but to think of the three little pigs and whose house stayed up. Thinking smart and preparing the home is key.
something to keep in mind. just because the outer surface will not burn doesn't imply it will not conduct the heat to the underlying layers. there is more to it than just warping fuel in aluminum foil to keep it from burning.
I think a single sprinkler on the peak of the roof would be pretty effective. Especially if your neighbors had them too. Drawing water from a rain tank which you should already have living in such a dry area, or pool. You could even get fancy with a camera on top and remote control from your phone.
Need to use a pump to pull water from a pool. A pool pump uses electricity. Portable gas pumps are needed in emergencies. California banned them in 2024.
I love watching your channel I use alot of what you do on my house I'm building and I have a family of 8 so here on my property I'm trying hard to make it fire ready
I've said from the beginning of this tragedy is that fire defensible construction should be mandatory for reconstruction, as well as new construction, in wildfire-prone areas (which the affected area is). This is no more and no less than what's required for flood- and hurricane-prone areas. Structures must have breakaway first levels in flood-prone areas, while myriad requirements exist in hurricane-prone areas, as well as areas where earthquakes are a real possibility. I've spent a lot of time in California and have always been struck by the number of residences with wood shingle roofs, dense vegetation, etc. While undeniably beautiful, just as certainly foolhardy given the increasing incidence and severity of wildfire events.
Builders in the Austin TX area should remember that it is historically a wildfire zone. No, it doesn't happen annually, nor even every decade, but it does happen. These fires in LA show that being urban doesn't mean you are protected from a fire moving unto your property. Thank God, the Fire Departments do keep most fires to one property.
American ignorance towards bushfires is insane australia has black days and a black month, fire education starts at kinder or krash theirs constant reminders on tv ads their are fire danger rating signs that go from zero to your fucked now bud, California should be built to Australian bushfire standards the 1 hour wall rating is from australia and doesn’t meet standards from a prone house, your fire trucks are woefully under protected they need to be built to Australian standards if you don’t wanna loose entire strike teams to the gum trees you planted they’ll sniff out the engines and burn the truck to the ground with anyone it it without a burn over system
I am looking at possibly moving to Texas, from Oregon, I'm in one of the area's that had to be evacuated from the wildfires...When we came back there was evidence of burning embers all over out house, BUT we have a metal roof and because the house is old we also have either concrete or asbestos siding...The house was untouched by the fire...but the smoke damage was pretty intense...we left so fast we accidentally left a window open...it was facing away from the direction of the fire but the smoke still got in.. Anyways a lot of the Texas homes I have looked at either have no fence or a wooden fence. I'm thinking of putting up a 4-6 foot cinder block , rebar and concrete fence...and for the gates I would like to use whatever that mesh is...And a metal roof for the house and detached shop or building if there is one...I noticed carports are also a thing so that's another area I'd use metal on... and in the panhandle the wind I've heard is an issue so taking steps to secure against tornado would be a helpful video as well...
The house that did not burn has a siding that is a mix of concrete and and fibor. The material can handle 2500⁰F. The texture is designed to look like wood or all sorts other types of material. These are actually a common type of building that has been replacing houses burned. Would have been better done first.
.. one of the houses that survived at Pacific Palisades had just installed a high pressure water system pump connected to their pool & was able to save his & a neighbors house by dousing it & emptying both their pools .. While the other houses down the hill burn down with their pools still full of water
Other than a handful of instances, like those in this video, have I heard of no proactive efforts, preparation, training, or awareness to secure property and people in this area from fire. Astoundingly, this after multiple wildfires in the area in recent history.
@@user-tv5dt3nm9y that just isn’t true. We have plenty of laws, codes, and education. This isn’t lack of education, nor is it stupidity. Please have a little empathy or compassion before making comments. It’s just hurtful to those of us living this nightmare.
Fire prevention specialists call a wood fence that is connected to your house a "fuse". Time to get defensive & preventive on another design layer. Also note another detail on the Survivor home with near zero overhangs, no attic, concrete wall at the property line. note the gas meter is easily accessible to be shut off in the event of a fire or earthquake.
I am of the opinion that it should be illegal to rebuild with combustible materials. Build with steel framing, gypsum sheathing, steel roof, concrete panels for roof and flooring, rockwool insulation, aluminum or stainless windows and window shutters like they have in Germany.
Thanks for this informative video Matt. Its important for home builders and buyers to realize that creating and maintaining a 5 foot non-combustible perimeter is one of the most important things you can do for a home. Rock, cement, or gravel base. Just built my own house and clad the outside with hardibacker panels. Unfortunately, had to go with vinyl windows as my local market doesn't carry metal windows.
As an Australian Engineer it is surprising how little is known in the USA about bushfires. California needs to adopt Australian Standards for bushfire. We grade properties in terms of a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) and this depends on both the distances and direction to fire sources. It includes the topography and the growth type. The biggest threat to properties is not the flame front. It is the ember attack. The embers can fly hundreds of yards and even up to a mile in front of the flame front. A 5 foot fence will not provide any protection. The intense fire front may pass the property at great speed and may only be an issue for several minutes. Embeds get caught in window frames, under eaves, in gutters, under timber decks, even breaking through windows, etc. This is what sets the house on fire. If you can survive the fire front and extinguish the embers you will generally save the house. Good fire construction requires you to keep the embers from catching the frame alight. The meshes that he has shown are for screens over the windows themselves and over the gutters to stop leaves from sitting inside the gutters. We also install cement sheeting under the decking boards to prevent embers from dropping down under the decks. Specific timber species are allowed depending on the BAL rating. We also fill gutters with water and install sprinkler systems that come on after a fire to extinguish embers. Every property by law has fire tanks, pumps and generators. Some have underground fire refuges but they must have their own oxygen supply as the oxygen gets sucked out by the fire. California has a lot to learn.
It's nothing new that CA has fires, it's just that those in charge refuse to do anything about mitigating it.
Commforina would rather spend money on drugs for criminals than spend money for fire prevention. They are too busy blaming Trump for the fires. Also, a lot of the people in America are too lazy to break a sweat to do that kind of work. They would expect $800 an hour to work that hard.
That is very interesting. I would love to have a place there so I could hibernate during our winter.
How to prevent and manage bushfires is known. But those in power in california are complete morons who won't allow what is needed.
It's not that little is know it's that the government is stupid they don't let us go clear the dead stuff
Retired UK Building Surveyor and Engineer here . Checked out your Building Regs ( Codes) and can only say that we have not built this way in the UK since 1666 when the Great Fire destroyed London . Even Class A construction would be un insurable in the UK .Timber frame construction is permissable here but the specs are much higher . Usually a render finish over metal lathing on 50mm mineral fibre insulation on a microporous fireproof wallboard , vapour barrier on timber stud or Seghal frame . One or 2 layers of Gyproc wallboard inside to achieve I hour internally .
The product displayed is known here as expanded metal lathing by Expamet and available in galvanised or stainless Steel. Flat rooof dressing is known as " solar chippings ", usually of limestone used to protect 3 layer felt or bitumastic coatings .
I am a welder and I built a perimeter fence for a client just before the Woolsey fire ....I made it out of perforated steel for privacy and also fire resistance.....the fire department came and inspected after the fire and told the homeowner that the fence saved their home .....when the client evaluated he confided in me he looked back a last time thinking his home was going to burn down because the neighbor had massive pine trees and needles as fuel .....on foot deep in pine needles fuled that fire .....that fence held the fire at bay ....fence created an effective fire break and served as a radiator to decapitate the extreme heat on the fence
great job good thinking
Fire spreads through embers higher up in the blowing wind, here. Fences are too low to help .
Where do you live and work. Do you have a rig?
You must have felt so good. Well done👍🏾
@@user-gg4of8kj6y amazing
Thank you for this! I lost my home in the Lahaina, Maui fire and am hoping to use these suggestions as we rebuild.
Well done Matt. You were empathetic and compassionate while still taking us deep into the engineering and construction science. Thank you.
I used to live in Altadena (2004-16). I contatcted a neighbor Friday. She said she had to evacuate. When she returned, NO HOUSES on the block were harmed!🙏
That is great!
I built my home in a forest. It’s a vaulted roof. Closed hot roof design. Metal roof. I also put 6’ of class “A” rock around my home. This spring I plan to install a sprinkler system pulling water from a pond, that will list the entire home in the event of a forest fire. Most of my windows are tempered as well. I hope what I’ve done will keep my home from ever burning down
What is class A rock? I have about 10 feet of 1/2” granite surrounding my house.
I understand water is an issue but I don’t understand why more people aren’t installing cisterns for rainwater and sprinkler systems? Is the water situation that scarce?
There exists a sprinkler specifically for mounting on a roof. You screw the foot to the soffits and the pipe reaches up over the edge of the roof, and sprinkles up toward the peak of the roof.
@@croboy751you would have to have a huge cistern and it would take a while to fill it with rainwater. Another issue would be that you would need electricity to operate a pump to get it out of the cistern. Electricity is likely to get turned off in fire conditions so they don’t fall preventing fire fighters to enter zone. Additionally sparks from live wires can start new fires.
@@LisaFaissall good points! I totally didn’t think of power!🤦♂️
Australia architects really pay attention to fire risks.
And you can't over emphasize the importance of windows that don't break either from the heat or from being hit by fire hoses. If you don't have tempered glass you need to cover the windows with metal shutters.
Though wouldn't you have to be careful about the metal shutters. As in an aluminum shutter would protect you from the blowing embers but might melt if the fire gets close.
UK architects have done the same since London burned in 1666 when the first building regulations were issued .
@@nanoflower1 there are steel shutters available if you worry about aluminum shutters. You also can add swing shutters made from fiber or steel. They look even nicer.
Lived in SoCal for 30+ years. The Santa Ana winds have been a regular visitor for centuries. Matt is correct, builders need to keep the effects of windblown embers in mind when designing structures.
And the overgrown, dried-out sagebrush.
The issue wasn't only with the structures themselves; the mass loss occurred due to the delay in deploying the full array of firefighting resources. In contrast, Orange County, which regularly experiences the same or higher sustained winds, immediately deploys all available air resources, which prevents a larger-scale loss of homes. This swift response made all the difference. They had the firefighting CH-60 Chinooks in Van Nuys (was there since Dec 26th) and refused to use them. The winds at the time of the genesis of the fire was not out of the norm but delaying the resources was the issue.
Matt is great, and I love his channel. He is an excellent builder and has been around for a long time.
Of especial importance is using metal soffits that will not allow wind blown embers enter under the roof. That and flammable fences should not get anywhere close to a structure
Lived in SoCal for 71 years and you are absolutely right, the Santa Ana winds have been around forever.
Hi there. First time on your channel but born and raised in southern California. Since 2008 I’ve been doing all kinds of swimming pool work. Maintenance and construction and plumbing etc. any time I do any pump and plumbing work I always always always put in a spot for a spot for a garden hose AND a spot for a 2” trash pump hose for this reason. Customers always ask me why and I say, “better to be safe than sorry. Protect your property. You have 20k+ gallons sitting right here. Make it work for you” and I was taught this by two old timers. It’s crazy that with all the pools we have, not a lot have any type of spigot at all. I’m sad for my town. But we learn and grow strong
Great idea but what if the electricity goes down. Best to have a portable gas water pump to use with pool water, that's if you can find a gas pump. All small gas engines have been banned for sale in the state starting in 2024.
@@Igotstaknowit Solar panels can help also you can have a gasoline generator.
@igotstaknowit you’re not wrong. And belive this passed Xmas eve and into the 25th we had no power until 8am. But besides the fact these people don’t even mow their own lawns, 80% of them wouldn’t know how to work a trash pump. But when they want to impress their friends, they always wanna know how to run their pool motors. I sold my business and work for the #4 largest automaker. Long story short I tell people “we can’t even run our ac’s at the same time during the summer. You think we can charge our cars too?” And that applies to “electric trash pumps” or anything that had small gas motors now being electric. Will do no good in a survival situation.
Thank you, Matt. I’m an architect and have lived in Southern California for 62 years. I spent my teen years in Pacific Palisades so I’ll speak about that fire. I’m in no way saying it’s more important than Altadena. I am heartbroken that the small town of my youth is gone. Literally gone. Some added information about the winds for you. Firstly, Santa Ana winds are strong very dry winds that suck the moisture out of anything they touch. The second issue is called a mountain wave. In essence the strong winds striking a mountain at close to perpendicular race up the face like water up the back of a wave. It breaks over the top and rushes down the “face of the wave” creating strong gusts. Take 60mph Santa Ana winds and amplify them by the mountain wave and you have 100mph dry gusts. This is what hit the palisades. This is also why fire burned downhill. These measures you talk about will help greatly. But it is also luck of the draw. This was hard to watch but I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness.
I have friends all over SoCal and have lived in NorCal and SoCal for many years. So many structures are surrounded by mulch and vegetation, and folks have to start being cited and/or losing their insurance if they do not have even basic defensive space around their homes/properties. We've also got to invest in downtown housing, and yes, that means more people living in apartments, and stop extending homes and neighborhoods into highly sensitive fire zones. It's just not worth peoples lives.
@@Ev-ku6ok There are places in California where it is illegal to clear brush away from your house.
Wind tides is the term we use.
Certain places along the west side of the Appalachians experience them.
I live in one, and we will have 60+ winds for days, and less than a mile away, it will be dead calm.
@@disqusrubbish5467this is utter nonsense. 50 year resident of CA. Take your mush brained propaganda elsewhere
Regarding the mountain waves, the winds in LA can be so blustery that twice I have been on airplanes that had to do a touch-and-go while while attempting to land at LAX in the Santa Ana Winds. People not from LA don't understand just how bad the winds can get.
A more generally applicable example, from a very similar situation, occurred during the Marshall Fire in Louisville, Colorado. One section of newly built homes all survived when houses across the street (on 3 sides if I remember correctly) all burned down. They were constructed with cement fiber siding and without soffit/attic vents. This prevented the windblown embers from finding ingress.
The conditions and visuals are frighteningly familiar. There was no stopping the fire, there was only the race to evacuate as many as possible before the fire cut them off. I remember being glued to the local weather data praying for the wind speed to drop - and that it wouldn't turn towards us.
The man you were showing in the 60 min video lost his sister who lived next door to him and didnt evacuate in time, so he was mourning more than just his house.
Very sad to hear. Unimaginable
Wow thank you
We had a structure that burned in the Mountain Fire near Somis, CA in November. It was a stick framed structure, completely wrapped in Densglass, but had was small spot where we could not wrap it completely. The fire found the weak spot, burned like a cigarette until it got inside the densglass and burned the structure to the ground. So, for this to be effective, you have to think of every spot fire can penetrate through the surface. The building was constructed in 2021 and met/exceeded all CA fire codes.
Thank you Matt for the shoutout to the men and women fighting these fires!
THANK YOU for talking about Tom Hanks home and how he made it fire proof because I have seen in a few comments on other pages that firefighters protetced his home because he was Tom Hanks and let others burn.....This proves that he basically protected him own home but being smart when he built it.
Tom Hanks is a Rothschild. Of course he knew to fireproof his home. Nice view you have now tommy boy.
So much wrong information about so much. Actor/James Woods Thought his home was gone... But it wasn't
Some celebrities did hire private firefighters too. Miley Cyrus had private ones at her house
@@karenmbbaxter tom hanks is a r*thschild. Of course he knew to prepare and fireproof.
@X3AmySarah I would have done the same if I had that kind of money. It takes the load off of the other firefighters.
I am planning to build in an area that is prone to fires. Some of the tips brought up today will definitely be applied. Thank you Matt and thank you for being brave enough to quote from scripture
Perhaps you might want to have a look at this:
Australian Standard (AS) 3959:2018 specifies the construction requirements for buildings in bushfire prone areas. It addresses all three heat transfer types - conduction, convection & radiation - and also ember attack. The following link will take you to a pdf copy of the 2009 version.
www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-04/Standards%2520-%2520Construction%2520of%2520buildings%2520in%2520bushfire-prone%2520areas.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj244nf4_aKAxWY1DgGHa7FCfUQFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3an4Sqd4262L2592p1yzMt
Good luck
Amen !
Just build your house from stones ,steel and concrete. Use clay roof tiles and before you add the tiles you cover the roof construction with rock wool. Both of the materials not burning. For the walls I recommend a concrete wall system- a system like a lego Block ( formwork block) with two parts of fireproof Styrofoam. Between the two parts of foam you add reinforcement steel and last step you fill the space between the two part with concrete.. With this system you also isolate your house against heat or cold. After you build the walls, you add 3 different layer of plaster. You also can add any kind of steel or wooden boards etc.
For the window you use thermo glass ( insulated glass windows (double glass) and install metal roller shutters to protect the windows against fire and burglar.
The wall system is not more expensive than conventional walls. Very quick and easy to build a house.
I did some volunteer work in Hawai'i last year cutting a firebreak for a neighborhood to prevent house fires. I learned so much. Low grass is acceptable but even a 3-foot-tall tree is bad. And don't connect a wood fence directly to the house.
😮💡
That wood siding looks like faux wood cement fiber board by the CereClad company. Very good looking product and obviously a very smart choice. Worth the money for sure. Great Video.
The one culprit of the fires nobody talks about is the invasive golden grass that covers the hills of California which were planted by early Spanish settlers for their livestock. Even if the forests were managed correctly you would still have issue with fires because the invasive grass is dry and highly flammable which makes it the primary source of fuel for the fires in places like the Pacific Palisades where there aren't dense forests. Native California grass aren't as flammable because their deep roots hold more moisture and native California tress also are resilient to fires that's why you see so many of them survive around homes that have burned down. The solution is to remove the invasive grass along with every invasive plant and tree species that aren't native to California, the work has to be divided between every California County and City.
Building codes need to be updated to require metal roofs on all structures. Key West has required Metal roofs on all structures the great fire of Key West in 1886. A water system that allows for water to fall all along the sides of the structures like a small water fall with the water collected in gutters at the bottom of the house for reuse to provide constant flow of the water fall without the need for more water would be another layer of protection against the fires.
California is a wildfire ecosystem. As you say, even the vegetation is adapted and some trees even need fires to reproduce (sequoias). Not saying you shouldn't do anything, but California will always be at risk of fires no matter what.
@@mysterioanonymous3206
Wherever there are disasters, we find evil Democrats.
One word: Goats! Goats can eat the tinder grass and excrete something far less flammable. They can remove vegetation where no mower or trimmer can reach.
Hooray Matt! What a great episode! Just exactly what people need to see now. The firefighters deserve all the respect in the world.
I lived in Altadena from 1989 to 2014. Although my main retrofitting efforts concerned earthquakes, I also did what I could to make my stucco home fire-resistant. Unfortunately, it burned along with thousands of others. There's only so much you can do in a firestorm!
Thanks for sharing this Matt. Prayers to those people affected.
Thanks for mentioning the winds--I feel like a lot of folks don't grasp just how much that has impacted both how devastating they've been, and how hard it is to fight them.
Exactly like Lahaina. People there said the fire was essentially sideways in the 60 MPH winds.
The winds have always been matured eucalyptus trees that have evolved to burn everything ti the ground is new they create fire storms when mixed with winds embers are hotter burn longer and travel hundreds of kilometres, if this happened in summer California in its whole could burn and it spread to other states the danger of gumtrees pose to America is astronomical and you are clueless our trucks have fire protection systems to protect them from fire in a burn over the fire still destroys the truck just save the fire fighters that’s how hot they burn
We are building in a Wildland Urban Interface area in California near Lake Tahoe. Not only are we using high performance build techniques we learned on your channel (sealed crawlspace and attic, ZipR-3 sheathing around the house, dehumidifiers and Energy Recovery Ventilators) but we are also taking into consideration the defensible space and class A fire rated materials (gravel surrounding the house, Hardie lap siding and soffits, Versetta Stone accents, Titanium FR roof underlayment and standing seam metal roof). The project also inspired me to document the process on my YT channel. Thanks for getting the message out to everyone that a little bit of extra work could possibly save your house.
Consider EDCO siding and roofing to clad your houses in a fire proof exterior. Matt talked highly about it in his build show at th-cam.com/video/i2LKRXXgNug/w-d-xo.html
Look up Australian bushfire standards if you wanna know how to fireproof a house from a bush fire
@@kennethhanes5438 Make your houses and buildings with steel reinforced concrete and the only parts not made out of reinforced concrete are the doors, windows, ventilation in and out ducts, etc. Better use ferrocement for the doors, in and out ventilation ducts, window shutters, ventilation pipelines, etc. Use stainless steel rebars and industrial cloth net and mesh and expanded metal net and so forth and so on.
In Japan we have glass with metal wires embedded so in the event of a fire the glass won’t shatter from the heat and remain in place.
The only downside is the glass can develop cracks spontaneously during the summer when it’s hot.
Very well said, Matt, informational with empathy. Amen.
Thank you Matt for this video I hope it reaches people on the WestCoast and God Bless LA/California.
I live in a coastal city in Taiwan where we are subjected to multiple typhoons every year and we also experience daily earthquakes with substantial earthquakes at least twice a month. Home insurance is not available. As most houses in the country, our house is made from concrete and re-bar - including the roof. When a category 5 hurricane blows through we do not evacuate. When a category 5 plus shakes our house we just roll over and go back to sleep. There is an occasional house fire, but they are very rare and house fires do not destroy the concrete structure. Perhaps, the reason for all the vulnerable houses in America is the universal presence of house insurance.
Also they build with so much wood which is combustible.
You think they will learn and build with concrete and rebar. But it wouldn't be profitable if some are not making money.
They don't want to change.
SMART meters.
In the Carribbean much poorer countries than the US also build to earthquake standards and are hurricane resistant as a result. The US just seems to want cheap, disposable houses.
@@james.telferThere is a documentary on the business of disaster. 🤷
The one house had the gas meter boxed in along the fence line. Gas meters are known combust when heated. One fireman used milk and beer to cool off a meter that was connected to a house, and the house was saved.
Those electric smart meters have lithium batteries. They are known to spontaneously explode, burning homes down, too.
This is a great and timely video. Thank you.
A program I watched years ago on this subject explained that the heat of the fire is carried by the wind ahead of the fire. That heat will heat up the wood on a building till it is almost to combustion temperature. Then when the embers from the fire land on that wood, they are the trigger that causes the wood to start burning on contact and spread dozens of times faster than normal.
Do like Matt has shown before and clad the entire exterior of a building with rock wool insulation and then cover that with steel or fiber cement siding and roofing, have something like steel shutters that can cover and protect the windows, then the exterior of the building is all but fireproof.
Great job. This video is really needed. Anything more and updates on new products/methods would be great. Thanks for what you do.
I have an outdoor fireplace in eastern Washington, with a 1/4" mesh over the chimney. I haven't burned down the neighborhood yet. The small embers go out before they reach the ground. I like those screens. Good idea. Also the aluminum window frames are a good idea. I took notes.
I have been asking why some houses survived and others didn’t so found this excellent. Love the Bible verse too ! Clearly man is struggling to deal with this by their own devises
As someone who grew up in a beautiful home in a forested property in Washington State, I was always afraid of fires, obviously. But I never ever even thought about the embers! At all. Even with all the campfires I have had. Those embers are crazy with the wind!
1st thing we learn as kid in France, camping.
Tremendous job. I learned a lot - such as thinking about monopoly framing. Keep the info flowing. There is so much that can be done that makes a difference, such as the 5 foot defensible space. Looking forward to see what the building materials industry comes up with.
The high wall separating the property of Tom Hanks is what we call a FireWall. Stops the fire from easily spreading across. That height is important too, in addition to providing privacy.
That’s a retaining wall, looks like it would do nothing to stop embers from coming over.
@jsbrads1 The purpose is not to block the embers. Because those embers fly. Imagine doubling the height that wall would not even stop the embers from coming over. The wall blocks the fire spreading from the other side towards your side. As for the embers falling on top, use roofs that prevents or retards the burn. I suppose embers shouldn't stay lit for over a minute. Only way to survive.
@@Bill-uz2mr Some people hosed their roofs so the embers died as they fell on the roof of their house.
@ okay, but look carefully at that wall, it is ground level at the top. Whole burning trees can fall into the property. Also embers can burn for a long time, a wild fire is much bigger than a camp fire and larger pieces can be lifted by an updraft.
In the Marshall Fire in Colorado a few years ago, the fire spread from Superior, across a freeway - US 36, to some commercial buildings in Louisville, to houses that were about 1000 ft away on a ridge, with relatively few structures burning between.
Those screens you mentioned are even better when dual layered. The outer screen acts as a blocker and the inner, the ventilation. This really helps to block the embers.
Matt, I've been watching the Build Show for many years and I have to say this coverage deserves a medal. The devastation in California is like hurricane Katrina but instead of rain, it's blowing flaming embers. Blowtorch is a good analogy. All the reservoirs and firetrucks in the whole state could never keep up with the spreading fires. I hope the incoming president sets his bias aside and grants California wildfire victims the support they need and deserve.
Up to Congress.
Bias? You mean the one that favors common sense? If it were up to me, I wouldn't send a dime for rebuilding until they commit to proper building techniques and proper forest and brush management. Their leadership allowed the problem and need to be called out. It's not fair for my money to go to people who waste it.
You say you 'hope' the incoming president sets his bias aside...based on his past behaviour, with past disasters, what would make you think he will do that? I would say, that based on his past behaviours he is more likely to exact retribution and make an example of them, of what will happen to you if you dare to cross the almighty Mr. Trump. There is nothing in his history that would indicate that he will change, or do anything different than what he has been doing up to now...because so far it has worked for him and people are still supporting and defending his ways of operating. Until someone puts a stop to it, he will continue to do what he's doing.
@@elgringoec Then the same should apply to Texas power grid and Louisiana's preparedness for Katrina. Trump made it very clear that he supports those who support him, and California or any blue state is not on his personal favorites list.
@I hope Congress ultimately does the right thing. We are all one country... or at least we should be.
Holy sh... the closing. Matt, God bless you and I absolutely mean it. Thank you! ❤
Contractor from Western India here. We do all our work in an active Seismic Zone. The code we use for Reinforced Concrete Structures should be implemented in California as well.
We also have annual rainfall in excess of 100 inches.
Born and raised in Southern California saw many fires like this 100's of tract homes burned up. When get dry high winds fire starts up wood homes become the fuel and just jumps from house to house as the embers fly. Problem is always the same once it gets going not much they can do until the fuel runs out.
Matt, thanks for your wisdom and love!
Great vid! Thanks! Great to highlight successful building practices!
Thanks, Matt. I will also be looking at my own home's risks more carefully going forward. I live in Canada and several towns have been devastated by wild fires in recent years.
I heard a climate scientist say the Santa Ana winds have been made worse from the 1.5C warming so far, and unless geoengineering is seriously considered we will get to 2C to 3C before 2100. I passed this video to my friend for rebuilding and hardening his Mom's house that survived. Thanks Matt.
The Santa Ana winds have been made worse by political stupidity!
Pressure gradients drive winds not temperatures, high temps cause updrafts.
We won't be around in 2100.
Anyone who thinks geo-engineering is a good idea should really think again.
I think those double french on the lower floor are actually steel.
I spent a lot of time back when the fires were ripping through Australia years back explaining to them the reason why for more than 50 years houses built out in the farmlands had metal roofs... nobody seemed to understand.
Metal roofs, mudwashed walls, hoed perimeters and spare metal sheets leaning against the walls.
The one that really gets me about Malibu is the couple houses there that survived had to resist INSANE amounts of heat coming off their neighbors. I hope Cal doesn't allow those homes to be rebuilt.
There’s also some great exterior sprinkler systems that can be incorporated to new builds or retrofitted onto older homes to protect them. There’s a few videos on TH-cam from people who experienced the camp fire a few years ago in northern California.
When the tsunami hit Japan I remember a mother and daughter survived since their house was all concrete while the rest were lightweight materials.
OMG that house just above Tom Hanks was my favorite LA home, worth $83M. Arvin Haddad said in his critique of that house that it would have trouble getting fire insurance and was in a dangerous location for fires. Now its gone. Beautiful home like no other. Was featured in Succession on HBO.
I watched Arvins video the day before these fire started and I remember him saying exactly that 🥺
Arvin is great.
Thank you Matt.
When we moved into our current home in 2002, under HOA rules all homes had to have wood shake roofs, no ifs and or buts.
We live on 1+ acre parcels in the forest and I have 87 Douglas Fir trees on my acre. The first year I was a PITA at the HOA board meetings. I argued the facts of how a fire jumps from a wood shake roof to the trees and then from the trees to the next wood shake roof but the little Napoleon's in power would not listen.
I demanded that we have a special HOA meeting with a quorum of the 105 home owners. I then asked the local Fire Marshal to attend that meeting and we had videos to show how bad Wood Shake is in the forest. Called the vote and it was like 95 for changing the rules, 5 voted to keep the shake roofs and 5 abstained.
It was 6 weeks later my roof was replaced by a Class 1 GAF triple layer roof. Withing 10 years there were only 5 Shake roof and now just 2.
I've survived a number of wild bush fires in a high bushfire attack area The formula to protection is pretty simple
1. Make sure there is NO combustible material with-in yards of any buildings. Pine bark, flower beds, bushes, stacked firewood, old cars, really just anything stored against the house. Even if apparently non-combustible 'things' against the building can trap embers.
2. All external building materials must be non-combustible (This specifically excludes plastic siding, plastic gutters and down spouts, plastic window frames, tar product roofing such as asphalt shingles. It also excludes externally attached insulation.) Consider using Hardie-board, tiles, brick, stone, cinder block, concrete, steel sheet roofing, tile roofing
3. Consider ember attack, that being burning embers and sparks blowing on to and into the building. Reduce inside corners that can catch embers or specifically line internal corners with sheet iron flashing, fill the gap between gutter and eves with gauze or hardy board to stop embers getting into the roof space. Verandas are deadly catch points for embers so construct from non-flammables like cement, tile, pebbledash and remove all furniture and ember traps before the fire hits you.
4. For active protection install a garden sprinkler system with gas/diesel powered pump and the largest rainwater tank/s you can fit. Block your down pipes and fill the gutters with water and then set the irrigation to run just before you leave the property... and pray.
Look up and follow Australian bushfire standards you allowed gum trees to colonise and your standards aren’t up to scratch to those trees your fire trucks can’t even survive a clump of gum trees they’d burn them down from 10-20 meters away
California is earthquake country. Brick and masonry homes are too dangerous.
@@silvieb2024 Not bricks as a siding ?
Gas pumps are illegal in California. All small gas engines were banned for sale in 2024. No gas pumps, no gas generators, no gas chainsaws to quickly cut down trees.
21:30 1 very important point you missed is the location of the gas meter located in the fence away from the house and the gas line is underground not exposed to heat in case of a fire. That house is very well built
I saw many chimneys survive - why aren’t we building with brick or cement blocks?!?!
Earthquakes in California
Earthquakes. Insurance companies don't like the way cement and brick performs in earthquakes.
TY Matt for sharing these fire resistance products and strategies. 👍 🙏 God bless
I would love to see a discussion about positive air to keep smoky air out and how to filter incoming air. Some homes that survive a fire are un-inhabitable due to smoke damage after surviving a neighborhood fire.
Thank you for sharing this very important information, so that we may do better now and in the future, to prevent loss.
I've been to a few houses destroyed in bushfires that were lost due to embers that got around the garage door. Depending on the type of door, you can wind up with a gap about an inch deep, plenty of space for embers to blow in and land on all the flammable stuff people keep in their garages.
What a wonderful man and what an excellent presentation! Not because the quote came from the Bible but simply because of its beauty and the innate compassion which caused him to include it, made me tearful.
That was fast - thank you for doing that!
Im an engineer and a contractor from LA. I have to say it’s incomprehensible to me that a lot of people think building to code is equivalent to building a good house. I try to explain to them that building to cod is your base minimum. I know the homes that Matt builds is out of budget for a lot of people especially here in California. But still there are upgrades that are worth the initial investment.
One such small upgrade is to use Vulcan Flame Resistant Vents instance of regular vents.
it's interesting to note the comparison between the great chicago fire and how that city rebuilt and how cities devastated by wildfire are learning to build resiliency.
Great video, especially for those that have no idea how to build fire resistant housing. I come from The Netherlands and we don't have space to spare when it comes to building houses. Most houses are connected or close to each other. The type of destruction seen in LA is just not possible in The Netherlands in the way we build.
We've already received calls and messages from folks whose homes were lost to talk about re-building with our concrete EverLog Siding. Some were mad because they were considering replacing their siding but just hadn't pulled the trigger yet. Our siding is 100% Class-A fire rated concrete but it looks like wood.
How thick does it have to be to not get hot enough for the wood framing to catch on fire?
I learned about yuur product from the YT channel Good Simple Living - it looks fantastic on their property (self-build).
You need to build to Australian bushfire standards if you want a fire resistant house no house is fire proof unless it’s concrete and steel and buried in the ground with an oxygen supply because when you have gum tree on fire around your house like some do in California their is next to no hope of the house surviving let alone anything in it surviving because the gum trees will suck all the oxygen from the air in the house hence the own oxygen supply in a bunker bit
Love the verse at the end. ❤️🙏❤️
It sometimes pays to live in a boring slightly damp midwest state. Although a meteor did explode nearby a while back, so its hard to be prepared for everything.
Around here (British Columbia, Canada) both the fire departments and the public still seem fixated on FireSmarting homes. Nothing more. This involves removing combustibles from the perimeter and creating a 'defensible space'. What they don't understand is that a 'defensible space' only reduces risk and allows room for firefighters to work. It definitely helps to remove combustibles, but between ninety and approaching one hundred percent of all structure ignitions are caused by wind-blown firebrands (embers). If your home is not tight, if there is one little 2-3mm gap anywhere in the roof system or siding or crawl space, embers will find their way inside and ignite the nearest combustible materials. Without meticulous attention to these details your home *will* burn.
In the fires we had in Kelowna, BC in 2023, I had friends saying they had sparks coming down almost 10 km from the fire.
A bit south in 2022, in Bridgeport WA the fire came into town. It got to the Columbia River that was over 1,000 feet wide and jumped to the other side.
Great job, Matt! I am glad that I have learned so much from the Build Show for my build. My construction is exactly like the house on the right.
As for the house that survived I noticed how he didn't mention the garage behind the burnt car being untouched.
Like the guy said "luck". That's why the garage is still standing. Luck.
I studied firefighting for rattlesnake. If I'm correct, the winds go up the canyon in the late evening and down the canyon in the morming (not sure early or late morning). I do not know if that is all mountain winds or if it is localized, but it seemed from my online classes that it was just overall like that. So basically, depending on the time of day, winds will go up or down the canyons
Houses with pools should have pool feed sprinkler systems on the roof to wet down the surrounding.
I also noticed in many videos of the Palisades fire that the trash cans survived the blaze, why?
Because this wasn't a normal fire.... No amount of fire proofing would help any home within its path...
@@OsotastyLordKC BULL SH-T
I looked it up recently for something else, vinyl is less flammable than wood.
Pool pumps run on electricity. Electricity goes down on fires like this. The best alternative is a gas engine portable water pump. The bad news is the CARB banned the sale of all small gasoline engines in 2024. No gas pumps, no gas generators. Talk about bad timing.
@@OsotastyLordKCsome houses arrived because they weren't flammable. Most US houses are basically a box of matches by design. You could just use brick, clay tiles, etc but you don't. 🤷
Love you for this Matt. That’s why I follow you and have always! Science builder!
Palm trees are like torches, obviously contributing to flying embers.
People won't spend the money to remove the dead frond "skirts."
Thank you! I’m sharing this with my family, so we can all get more fire safe houses.
THANK YOU for doing your due diligence and researching these fires vs houses thoroughly! I found everything you said to be accurate to my knowledge. Thank you from Northern California 👏🏻👊🏻👍🏻🖖🏻✌🏻
(Yes, y'all, I have 8+ yrs of direct fire fighting experience, both structure and wildland. Education never ends :)
In regards to the Eaton fire, that burned down ~2/3rds of Altadena. That suburban area, goes back to the early 1900s. Some parts back to the 1880s. Lots of vegetation. Most of it not native to that area. Most noticeably, high density of trees, that over shadow the roofs, and form a canopy over the narrow residential streets. A mix of broad leaf (oaks and maples) and tall pine trees. Lots of fuel, a few breaks. Built not just up to the wild hill country, but well into it.
Great video and I've known about this stuff for a long time - mostly from all the fires up in Northern California and many people who built homes with metal roofs, ember resistant decks and siding, and defensible space saw their house become "miracle homes". Shutters are also great for windows especially if your house is right up against a neighbor and will get direct heat and flame when it burns. I know people think they are ugly but you could even have emergency shutters that could be attached if you know a fire is coming. I've also seen ridge sprinkler systems with independent water and power sources, and even ridge retracting roof covers for people who can't have a class A roof. I'm also thinking some of the thermal break techniques you have will prevent heat being transmitted into a home which is important when there's combustible material on the inside. I've read that even glass fiber insulation can burn, that's scary.
We really need huge incentives to build homes like these especially around perimeters and also to retrofit existing homes - just like we do for earthquakes. That could either be via insurance rebates, or direct incentives. Think about what even a fraction of the $200B in homes lost (so far) could have done if spent on preventative retrofitting. And remember there's a herd immunity thing here - you don't need every single home to be fireproof - but every one added can help save a neighboring house which saves another and another and so on. These homes in LA will probably cost high six figures if not in the millions to rebuild - surely tens of thousands of dollars in material and construction upgrades is worth that - especially if you get a discount on insurance for the lifetime of the home.
You have mature gum trees you should be following Australian bushfire standards, you need to retrofit your fire trucks with Australian burn over systems or you’ll loose entire strike teams because their was a gum or two near by
Thank you for this very helpful information. I can’t help but to think of the three little pigs and whose house stayed up. Thinking smart and preparing the home is key.
Metal roof is a winner. Look at Hurricane Milton footage along the beach. All the houses that survived had metal roofs.
something to keep in mind. just because the outer surface will not burn doesn't imply it will not conduct the heat to the underlying layers. there is more to it than just warping fuel in aluminum foil to keep it from burning.
I think a single sprinkler on the peak of the roof would be pretty effective. Especially if your neighbors had them too. Drawing water from a rain tank which you should already have living in such a dry area, or pool. You could even get fancy with a camera on top and remote control from your phone.
Need to use a pump to pull water from a pool. A pool pump uses electricity. Portable gas pumps are needed in emergencies. California banned them in 2024.
Lots of good points, you are my favorite builder!
Floridian here. 100mph is a cat 2 hurricane. Andrew was 165mph sustained, with higher gusts /cat 5
I love watching your channel I use alot of what you do on my house I'm building and I have a family of 8 so here on my property I'm trying hard to make it fire ready
I've said from the beginning of this tragedy is that fire defensible construction should be mandatory for reconstruction, as well as new construction, in wildfire-prone areas (which the affected area is). This is no more and no less than what's required for flood- and hurricane-prone areas. Structures must have breakaway first levels in flood-prone areas, while myriad requirements exist in hurricane-prone areas, as well as areas where earthquakes are a real possibility.
I've spent a lot of time in California and have always been struck by the number of residences with wood shingle roofs, dense vegetation, etc. While undeniably beautiful, just as certainly foolhardy given the increasing incidence and severity of wildfire events.
Some had a sprinkler system they installed themselves around their house with independant water storage tanks.
Many of the houses had thick tall cedar hedges, those things burn like crazy.
Meaningful video... thanks
Builders in the Austin TX area should remember that it is historically a wildfire zone. No, it doesn't happen annually, nor even every decade, but it does happen. These fires in LA show that being urban doesn't mean you are protected from a fire moving unto your property. Thank God, the Fire Departments do keep most fires to one property.
American ignorance towards bushfires is insane australia has black days and a black month, fire education starts at kinder or krash theirs constant reminders on tv ads their are fire danger rating signs that go from zero to your fucked now bud, California should be built to Australian bushfire standards the 1 hour wall rating is from australia and doesn’t meet standards from a prone house, your fire trucks are woefully under protected they need to be built to Australian standards if you don’t wanna loose entire strike teams to the gum trees you planted they’ll sniff out the engines and burn the truck to the ground with anyone it it without a burn over system
I am looking at possibly moving to Texas, from Oregon, I'm in one of the area's that had to be evacuated from the wildfires...When we came back there was evidence of burning embers all over out house, BUT we have a metal roof and because the house is old we also have either concrete or asbestos siding...The house was untouched by the fire...but the smoke damage was pretty intense...we left so fast we accidentally left a window open...it was facing away from the direction of the fire but the smoke still got in..
Anyways a lot of the Texas homes I have looked at either have no fence or a wooden fence. I'm thinking of putting up a 4-6 foot cinder block , rebar and concrete fence...and for the gates I would like to use whatever that mesh is...And a metal roof for the house and detached shop or building if there is one...I noticed carports are also a thing so that's another area I'd use metal on...
and in the panhandle the wind I've heard is an issue so taking steps to secure against tornado would be a helpful video as well...
The house that did not burn has a siding that is a mix of concrete and and fibor. The material can handle 2500⁰F. The texture is designed to look like wood or all sorts other types of material. These are actually a common type of building that has been replacing houses burned. Would have been better done first.
.. one of the houses that survived
at Pacific Palisades
had just installed a high pressure water system pump connected to their pool & was able to save his & a neighbors house by dousing it & emptying both their pools ..
While the other houses down the hill
burn down with their pools still full of water
Other than a handful of instances, like those in this video, have I heard of no proactive efforts, preparation, training, or awareness to secure property and people
in this area from fire. Astoundingly, this after multiple wildfires in the area in recent history.
Yes, even hotels rooms have plans on the doors. people need them on the inside of their house doors.
@@user-tv5dt3nm9y that just isn’t true. We have plenty of laws, codes, and education. This isn’t lack of education, nor is it stupidity. Please have a little empathy or compassion before making comments. It’s just hurtful to those of us living this nightmare.
Fire prevention specialists call a wood fence that is connected to your house a "fuse". Time to get defensive & preventive on another design layer. Also note another detail on the Survivor home with near zero overhangs, no attic, concrete wall at the property line. note the gas meter is easily accessible to be shut off in the event of a fire or earthquake.
In florida, they're talking about making shingle roofing illegal.
Excellent video Matt. I do A/V Systems in LA. ABSOLUTELY devastating.
I am of the opinion that it should be illegal to rebuild with combustible materials. Build with steel framing, gypsum sheathing, steel roof, concrete panels for roof and flooring, rockwool insulation, aluminum or stainless windows and window shutters like they have in Germany.
Thanks for this informative video Matt. Its important for home builders and buyers to realize that creating and maintaining a 5 foot non-combustible perimeter is one of the most important things you can do for a home. Rock, cement, or gravel base.
Just built my own house and clad the outside with hardibacker panels. Unfortunately, had to go with vinyl windows as my local market doesn't carry metal windows.