(11-10-2018, 04:57 PM), Dartz Wrote: Can I ask an utterly retarded and insensitive question? Why are all these houses built out of timber, and then surrounded by trees? It seems a bit - mistaken - in a fire prone region to not have some form of fire break around habitation.
Here's the trick; in fire prone areas of wilderness, there is a request to clear firebreaks around one's home, to not have trees close to the structure itself. The problem is that it's optional - it's only really "enforceable" when the fire is in the area, and only in terms of "it will determine if the firefighters will decide to protect your home or move to the next house down the street". At least, that's the case here in Colorado. And at least here, there's more than a few people who don't want to move into those areas only to basically have to clear-cut the landscaping around their homes, they moved to those areas to enjoy the trees, and part of "enjoy the trees" is having them practically touching the structure from a forest fire point of view.
OK, pulling the callous card out... hopefully this will be forced to change now that that one township in California has basically been burnt off the map, at least as far as home insurance determining if you're even insurable at all. If nothing else, a healthy dose of declared "high fire risk determined on site inspection, do not insure for fire loss" because they don't clear cut the landscaping may force the change, either people finally clear cutting to help protect the home, or choosing to live in less fire prone areas that still have the trees they want to enjoy.
"You know how parents tell you everything's going to fine, but you know they're lying to make you feel better? Everything's going to be fine." - The Doctor