Pictures showing the destruction caused by wildfires in Southern California have been truly shocking. Some, however, have also generated curiosity.
The sight of homes still standing with those around them razed has led to questions on social media, with onlookers wondering how this could be possible given the strength and severity of the blazes.
What is saving these homes?
The short answer to this question? Pure luck. Perhaps the fire just didn't reach a particular home for whatever reason, whether that is because of the wind or some kind of obstruction.
The long answer concerns design and construction methods.
Newsweek shared one particular example of the latter. On X, formerly known as Twitter, Greg Chasen posted a picture (click here if embed does not appear) of a home on Iliff Street that was still standing despite obvious fire and smoke damage surrounding it — including a burnt-out vehicle just feet away in the driveway.
No words really - just a horror show. Some of the design choices we made here helped. But we were also very lucky. pic.twitter.com/kpqfiRj49M
— g chasen (@ChasenGreg) January 9, 2025
"No words really — just a horror show," he said in the post. "Some of the design choices we made here helped. But we were also very lucky."
Chasen described how the property belonged to a "client/friend," and the architect had worked on the design.
He noted that a "solid concrete perimeter wall" was one thing that "probably saved us there" in regard to the vehicle, but the property also has "no vents or eaves." Chasen added that "tempered glass windows" were another feature that perhaps prevented further destruction.
According to AIS Glass, some tempered glass can withstand heat up to 662 degrees Fahrenheit. Aris Papadopoulos, a building resilience expert from Florida International University, told The Daily Beast that the inside of a home is like a "fuel tank," so having durable windows can prevent sparks and embers from starting a fire.
NBC observed that all the other homes on Iliff Street were destroyed.
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Move somewhere else 🌎 Why is this house important?
The building principles adopted for this property indicate a way to make houses more resilient to wildfires.
California is a notable hot spot for this type of extreme weather event and drought conditions that make fires more likely and more destructive, but the high winds that helped the Palisades Fire spread and boosted its ferocity took many by surprise.
As of Monday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported 1,280 structures — including residential and commercial buildings — had been destroyed among the nearly 24,000 acres burned.
Keeping your home and family safe is one thing, but appropriate protection for houses from fire damage is becoming increasingly important, especially in California. Home insurance providers have been repealing wildfire coverage from customer policies and increasing the cost of premiums, making renewal virtually impossible.
Without this financial safety net, homeowners, housebuilders, and architects need to find better solutions to prepare for the possibility of property damage or destruction from wildfires.
How can we reduce the risk of wildfires?
As this Iliff Street property demonstrates, prevention methods in home construction can be key to avoiding a major financial loss and displacement following a wildfire.
However, we all need to take action to make the conditions less favorable for wildfires.
While investigations are underway to discover the cause of the blaze, dry conditions throughout Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas were ideal to encourage the rapid spread. Santa Ana winds, bringing gusts of around 100 mph, as well as low humidity further exacerbated the situation.
With that in mind, reducing our production of planet-warming pollution — which increases the global temperature and can make droughts longer, stronger, and more frequent — is essential.
California has been taking steps to lower its pollution production. For example, the state has a policy that all new passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs sold by 2035 must be zero-emission vehicles. It is also working to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.
On an individual level, changes such as ditching driving in favor of biking or walking, eating plant-based meals, and investing in domestic renewable energy can all make a difference in reducing planet-warming pollution.
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