Amount of clearing for effective fire break

[ericm979]

Many big fires in California are not in forest, but are in brush or grasslands or oak woodland with trees far apart and grass between them. It all burns.

Clearing around your buildings isn't so you can fight the fire yourself though it would help if you choose to do so. It makes your buildings less likely to burn even if no one is there. And it makes them more defensible by fire fighters. They can try to save only so many houses. Ones that are too hard to save may not get the same attention as ones that have good clearance.

I can say from experience that having good road access makes it a whole lot easier to fight fires. That's one reason why grassland fires here are not so much of a problem- they often can drive tankers right up to the fire.

 

[cqaigy2]

The real catch was they had to call the Forestry department the morning of the burn to GET the permit. Not only were the property owners negligent but the person issuing permits was asleep at the wheel.

I haven't called for one in a while but last time I was on the phone answering questions for 15 minutes and passed through two supervisors to get the permit. They have really tightened up the requirements.

That sounds good they tightened it up. :thumbsup: But still, some kind of accountability would be in order here.

 

[bunyip]

Rules vary here depending upon the local authorities but embers can travel up to 30km and start spot fires, we have about 100' cleared around the house.

 

[user.69169]

Best thing if you in Califoolish is sell de place and get out before it burns.

Califoolya got regulations in place now fer after fire cleanup make sure you can't pay de bills even if place insured fer 3 times replacement cost. Gotta dig out all contaminated dirt and haul to special landfill, den replace wid new clean dirt. All fire resedue gotta go to landfill too.
Only way to get ahead is to make it somebody else problem.

 

[ultrarunner]

Unpredictable Fire...

In the 1991 Oakland Fire Storm burning embers were found miles from the fire scene... as far as San Francisco.

All you can do is have non combustible construction.

In one of the SoCal fires a young architect built his home to survive wild fires... concrete construction... walls and floors, steel beams and metal roof... triple pane windows with fire doors and partially into a hillside with sprinkler system...

He did get fined from excessive brush clearance... he disced his property and disturbed a critical habitat... after a fire burned every structure but his it shows it can be done...

Eve and eve vents seemed to be a big issue now... that natural ventilation can draw embers into the attic space..

After a fire hazmat removal is required...

Some related links

How a California Home Survived 217'''s Historic Wildfires | Time

How an engineer fireproofed his California house to survive fire season - Business Insider

The fire-resistant home is coming to California, and here's what it looks like

Surviving Wildfires With Homes Build With Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) | LogixICF.com Blog

Fire Meets Its Match : Concrete Home Tucked Into Hill Survives Malibu Blaze Unscathed - Los Angeles Times

 

[oosik]

Must be the way it is in Southern California - you just can not win, no matter what you do. After a forrest/grass land fire - I wonder exactly what is considered hazardous material and must be removed. Ashes - ???

 

[ultrarunner]

When structure burns the thinking is a toxic cocktail remains after the burn... everyday cleaning agents, shop supplies, oils, asbestos/lead... etc.

The liability is strict so most opt to have it done third party... basically scraped clear and then some and carted off to some far away disposal/treatment site.

Here is a real TBN story and one that had the newspaper op/eds into overdrive... heroes or villains

In the Norcal fires of 2020... a crew clearing vineyard credited with blazing MILES of breaks DURING the fire...

They had the dozers/excavators operators and fuel needed and leapt into action...

Heroes to many and scofflaws to some... see... what they did was not authorized and much would have required years of the permit process even if it could be permitted...

Its quite a story of neighbor helping neighbor despite the odds... and even being told to stand down in some reports... and working against evacuation orders in others...

I've experienced first hand in a crisis you could very well be on your own... the Calvary ain't a coming.


Napa locals go ‘cowboy,’ bulldozing firebreaks to save wineries as resources wane - SFChronicle.com

Rancher singlehandedly saves dozens of homes from Glass Fire

Community Heroes in Cazadero and the Cazadero Dozer Crew

There are often a million obstacles as to why you can't but thankfully there are still those willing and able tractor operators...