A homeowner whose house endured the Palisades Fire revealed the key features that likely made it the only structure on his block to emerge relatively unscathed.
What protected this home?
David Steiner, a 64-year-old father of three, was prepared for the worst after a local contractor sent him a video of his Malibu residence and neighboring properties engulfed in flames.
"It looked like nothing could have possibly survived that, and I thought we had lost the house," the lawyer and former head of Waste Management told the New York Post.
Much to his surprise, the waterfront mansion worth nearly $9 million escaped the fate of the homes surrounding it. Steiner attributed this "miracle" to the building's durable design, which was meant to protect it from earthquakes and the waves that slam into the seawall underneath it.
Located along the Pacific Coast Highway, the 4,200-square-foot, three-story house was built with stone and stucco. It also has a fireproof roof and pilings that Steiner estimated reach 50 feet into the bedrock.
"The architecture is pretty nice," Steiner said of the house, which was constructed to mimic a cruise ship, "but the stucco and fireproof roof are real nice." He added that he didn't think that his home "would be the last thing to go" if there was a fire.
The Post reported that more than 20 firefighters worked for at least 12 hours to save the building, which was unoccupied at the time.
What can I do to protect my home from a wildfire?
Though The Daily Beast noted that a house's ability to withstand a wildfire often depends on luck, it also listed a few proactive measures that homeowners can implement to increase the odds a house survives such an event.
According to Harry Statter, founder and CEO of Frontline Wildfire Defense, properties that remain upright after a fire often have Class A-rated roofs, ember-resistant vents, and double-paned windows.
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Move somewhere else 🌎 Statter also mentioned that avoiding highly flammable plants, such as junipers and eucalyptus trees, in your yard could be crucial to saving your home.
Data cited by The Daily Beast supports these notions. One article found that multipaned windows reduced the likelihood of a house burning down by 26%. Another study found that incorporating fire-resistant materials into a building and removing brush can decrease the probability it will be destroyed by a fire from 40% to 20%.
Aris Papadopoulos, a building resilience expert at Florida International University, offered more actionable advice, saying, "Install fire-rated and non-combustible siding, roofing, windows, doors, vents, decks, and fences while ensuring a defensive, non-flammable space within at least the first 30-foot perimeter of the house."
Why is fireproofing your home important?
All the preparation in the world may not save your home from a wildfire — even Steiner believes his place sustained smoke damage — but taking steps to protect it is becoming increasingly necessary as the planet's overheating heightens the severity and likelihood of extreme weather events.
While wildfires are common in California, the arid conditions fueled by the warming climate paired with fierce winds helped intensify the conflagrations that have torn through Los Angeles.
The Palisades Fire, which started Jan. 7, is the largest of nine blazes that have collectively burned over 40,000 acres in Southern California and was just 14% contained as of Jan. 13. The overwhelming demand for water has complicated the situation, as storage tanks went dry just a day after the fire broke out.
The wildfires have damaged approximately 12,300 structures and killed at least 24 people. Meanwhile, evacuation orders are still in effect for 92,000 people.
However, stories such as this one have begun to emerge, demonstrating the legitimacy of fireproofing tactics.
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