Thursday, October 1, 2026
Q. I, like many others, was upset about the terrible fires in California. We were discussing it the other day, and were wondering what your opinion is about how the fires spread so quickly, considering that we were also having high winds at the same time. Are our homes safe? Do we have better building regulations? Could the same thing happen to us that happened in California? What can we do to prevent this, and what do you think California should do?
A. It can happen here. We must all listen, observe and learn from this tragedy to avoid repeating it in our own communities. I have often written about the beginnings of rules and regulations, which began after the great fire of London in 1666 and, in this country, after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. It took many decades and many lives lost to recognize that building codes were needed, however.
Unfortunately, the typical response, historically, is to immediately express horror, but as time goes on, become complacent that something that bad couldn’t happen here. Yes, it can happen anywhere, and certainly in communities where the buildings are closer together. So we need to listen when we’re told that it could happen, and realize why fire could burn down any community where nature’s forces work against our best planning.
We have seen the devastation, and some of us realize the many elements that contribute to disaster, such as drought, high winds, finish materials that combust and lack of ability to escape, to name a few. Our building codes are focused on life safety and limiting fire spread. At the right temperature, nearly everything burns.
California has similar codes, but many buildings were constructed prior to the newest, more stringent codes and did not have safety requirements for one- or two-hour resistive surface materials, interior sprinklers or opening protective devices like special shutters that drop to enclose spaces and reduce fire spread. Our roofs, siding, fences and interior materials, just like California’s, can ignite readily when hot embers land on them.
Rebuilding in California will have to include interior sprinklers, non-combustible exterior materials and community training in what to take, when to evacuate and how to do so safely without blocking the path of emergency responders. I expect that we will see greater distances between dwellings and backyard structures, less vegetation, cannons mounted on utility poles to shoot fire-retardant and fire break walls that can lift out of the ground to separate buildings. There are products on the market to do all of these things, though most have been developed for flood prevention or highly flammable building conditions. More people will choose cement board siding that mimics everything from stone to wood siding to preserve styles that are consistent with the building shape, and metal, cement or ceramic tile roofs that will not combust if a hot ember or coat lands on it, and metal window frames. Remember to choose safe materials. Good luck!
© 2025 Monte Leeper. Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
