The Wrath of Fire
What would you do if you were told to run into your house and grab whatever you can and get out now? That’s what people in Malibu, California were faced with last November. Fires are nothing new to this area; dry summers lead to ripe conditions for fire every fall. Our documentary film The Last House Standing is looking at why people aren’t more prepared for this type of disaster. There should be a big fat warning to everyone who buys property in this area—all the ingredients are there for a major fire, dry brush, low humidity, and wind. Warning…you could lose everything!
When the fire broke out it grabbed everyone’s attention—local news goes wild for these kinds of stories. But most people had the feeling that it wouldn’t affect them. Facing disaster year after year and having it miss you gives one a feeling of invincibility, “It won’t happen to me.” We interviewed several people who can’t say that anymore; they lost everything in this fire. Even those who did some type of disaster planning were taken aback by the severity of the blaze. One homeowner described going back to her burnt down house and finding four fire rated safes completely melted. As people watched everything they own burn to the ground they were outraged that nobody showed up to fight the fire. The Mayor of Malibu told us this was the “yoyo fire,” meaning, “You’re on your own.”
As we drove around the area, some places looked green and vibrant, but a closer look revealed empty slabs where homes once stood. Rebuilding is going to take a long time, as people fight with their insurance companies for money, and the city to get building permits. You can rebuild quicker if you follow the exact pattern of the old house. If you want to change things, the codes have changed, and for many people insurance won’t cover the construction.
We learned that there are preventative measures you can take in advance of a fire. Bobby Millstein of So Cal Fire Supply showed us a gel solution that can be applied to the outside of a home before the fire gets there in order to make the outside materials fire resistant. We watched a live demonstration of the difference this solution can make and the results speak for themselves.
Milstein also showed us how by having a plan to fight the fire, he was able to help save most of Calamigos Ranch, a 200-acre resort that was surrounded by areas that were swallowed up by the flames. Other residents shared stories of how planning and preparation helped save their homes.
The way fire spreads and the way it attacks a structure varies from a hurricane and the damage it causes, but the tactics for preparation are similar. For one, always have an emergency plan. You can’t make that plan once the emergency is happening; people told us the stuff they grabbed they could have replaced, the things left behind are now gone forever. It’s not a question of if a disaster will happen but when. Second, do everything within your power to fortify your home as much as possible. Many of the things you can do aren’t that costly, and the ones that are will end up costing less than replacing everything you have. And even if you do prepare, what about your neighbors? If their house is a tinderbox and burns to the ground it hurts your chances of surviving the disaster.
Your disaster plan needs to be part of a community plan, so everyone has the best chance of making it through the fire. Disasters don’t check your financial statement before striking; houses worth millions burn down the same way as a small cabin or a trailer. “There’s no place like home,” and you need to do everything you can to protect it. Because when disaster strikes, if the first responders can’t get there and you end up on your own, your disaster planning and preparation is likely your only chance to survive and to save your home.