Landmark Wildfire Study Identifies New Risk Factors and Recommendations for California Homes
The Institute for Business & Home Safety, the insurance industry’s property protection advocate, has completed comprehensive research on the Witch Creek Wildfire, which damaged or destroyed nearly 1,700 structures in San Diego County, Calif., in 2007 at a cost of $1 billion. While the research focuses on Southern California, the results have applications nationwide, now that a full one-third of homes in the United States are in the Wildland Urban Interface.
IBHS will present objective scientific evidence identifying new ways homes and communities are at risk from wildfires and how to address those risks, as well as findings that reinforce the efficacy of current loss reduction measures.
Community Comparison - IBHS evaluated nearly 3,000 homes to determine why some survived and others did not despite facing similar conditions during a major wildfire. Researchers compared three conventional communities with three “Shelter-in-Place” communities to gauge the value of wildfire protective measures taken through a community-wide approach versus individual efforts.
Analysis - The study analyzed meteorological conditions, vegetation and topography, building characteristics, and social attitudes. A series of focus groups and public opinion polls of homeowners in the studied areas were conducted in an attempt to understand underlying motivations that drive attitudes toward wildfires and safety measures.
Research Findings and Recommendations - IBHS will review the major findings of its research and release a three-minute DVD illustrating how the fire moved through different communities. Finally, IBHS will provide information to help residents evaluate their wildfire risk and develop a prioritized home improvement project list with cost breakdowns to better protect them from wildfire.
Source: Source: IBHS | Published on July 16, 2008
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