Raging wildfires provide UC advisor a teachable moment

When raging wildfires threaten homes in California, UC Cooperative Extension wood durability advisor Steve Quarles commands rapt attention. He reached many thousands of the state's residents with an interview that aired yesterday on All Things Considered and on today's Morning Edition.

Capital Public Radio's Steve Milne produced the spot to examine whether homeowners can live safely in wildland areas and whether creating a “defensible space” around the home is enough.

Quarles told him the design of the home and materials used in construction play a critical role in protecting homes from fire. Non-combustible roof and siding, tempered-glass, multi-paned windows, and vents and crawl spaces that resist flames and embers are factors that may keep a house standing after a fire sweeps through the area.

“We’re learning a lot about the importance of embers in terms of spreading fire. We sort of understood that with regard to forest fires. But we’re also learning that they can result in the ignition of your home," Quarles said.

Watch the video below for more information from Quarles on making a wildland home fire safe:

Additional UC fire information is the UC ANR wildfire media kit.

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