The most effective way to reduce deaths and property destruction from California wildfires would be to stop building in fire-prone areas, and make structures that already exist in those areas more resilient.
It's a simple and sound strategy, but it would also be expensive and wildly unpopular. People want to live in the state's stunning wooded landscapes and making homes, businesses, and neighborhoods more fire-resistant could be hugely expensive.
Experts say as climate change causes more frequent and destructive blazes, anything less won’t make enough of a difference to prevent the devastating fires that have swept through the state in the past few weeks, though. California uses the most up-to-date version of model national codes, and doesn’t allow local governments to opt out of those codes.
New homes in places with the highest risk of wildfire get built with fire-resistant materials and construction techniques, but many older structures were not built to those standards. Furthermore, California’s aggressive wildfire codes don’t apply in neighborhoods that may appear safer on paper, but are increasingly affected as fires grow to the sizes that caused so much destruction recently.
Related Stories
| May 3, 2012
Stay current on green codes at AGC Environmental Conference
Keep abreast of market trends such as 2012 changes to green standards and codes at the AGC Contractors Environmental Conference, June 7-8, 2012 in Arlington, Va.
| May 3, 2012
OSHA reduces fines in Cincinnati casino collapse
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reduced the number of violations from four to two against four firms it cited earlier this month in the collapse of a casino under construction in Cincinnati.
| May 3, 2012
New York City implements controversial crane licensing requirements
New York City officials announced strict new licensing and testing requirements for all crane operators in New York City to raise safety standards.
| May 3, 2012
Green-roof requirement now includes industrial facilities in Toronto
A mandate that requires installation of green roofs on new commercial and residential buildings in Toronto has been expanded to include industrial facilities.
| May 3, 2012
Innovative wastewater treatment helps achieve LEED rating
LEED for New Construction, Neighborhood Development and the LEED Volume Program offer some ways to achieve LEED points when dealing with wastewater treatment.
| Apr 26, 2012
Lack of bolts on steel support caused collapse at Cincinnati casino
Too few bolts connecting horizontal steel support beams with vertical steel columns was the cause of January’s construction accident at Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, according to the report of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
| Apr 26, 2012
OSHA criticized for taking too long to roll out safety rules
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration takes far too long to adopt new safety regulations compared to other agencies’ development of rules, safety experts said during a Senate hearing.
| Apr 26, 2012
Contractors fear that GSA scandal will lead to fewer federal construction contracts
In the wake of the recent scandal at the General Services Administration in which workers spent lavishly at a Las Vegas conference, a spokesman for Associated General Contractors of America said contractors are worried the scandal will result in cuts to GSA's construction and renovation budgets.
