We all know about the travesty of the LA fires, but some of the damage could have been avoided. In the article “These Homes Withstood the LA Fires. Architects Explain Why,” we see that this house survived in an area of thousands of destroyed homes because it was built for this type of event. However, without precautions like opening gates to prevent the fire from spreading along the fence, removing flammable objects from around the house, and avoiding attic vents to keep fire from entering, who knows if the house would still be standing?
Now besides the homeowner’s strategies to make his house as safe as possible, if it was a normal house, surely the house will still get some damage, but this house was spotless. What really made this house fire-resistant? The house was built with concrete garden walls that acted as a barrier against the flames, a metal roof with fire-resistant underlayment, and tempered glass windows that could withstand high temperatures. Its simple, compact structure also reduced vulnerable points where fire could take hold.
By using simple precautions, homeowners can significantly decrease the risk of their beloved homes crumbling down. Chasen has proved that you don’t need to be an architectural expert—you just need to know certain steps that everyone can take to ultimately prevent widespread destruction. Let us take action to protect our communities and homes, so that we can decrease the damage of future moments like these.
Housing at its Best 