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https://www.wsj.com/articles/wildfire-california-west-home-owner-hardening-embers-forest-11662149139
Regarding “Getting to ‘Guilty’ for 84 Wildfire Deaths” (Exchange, Aug. 27) about PG&E Corp.’s liability resulting from the 2018 Camp Fire: A photo shows that while the houses are piles of ash, trees surrounding them are still standing and mostly green. The few that are brown have been scorched from the radiant heat from houses that went up in flames. The houses burned while the forest around them survived.
This has engendered a crusade of sorts in fire-prone areas in California and other parts of the West. It’s called home hardening, and the program developed by the National Fire Protection Association recognizes that most homes in wildland fires ignite not from a wall of flames but from wind-driven embers. Through NFPA inspections, ember-entry points and other ignition sources are sealed or removed. A list of simple and inexpensive steps can be done by the homeowners themselves. This might mean installing a fine-screen mesh over existing vents or removing a woodpile leaning against the house. Over half of structures can therefore be prevented from igniting, which in turn means residents can evacuate with a degree of assurance that their homes will still be standing when they return. Many cities offer these inspections free of charge.
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This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.