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Sprawling homes susceptible to flames in California 3

The impact of the still-raging California fires on humans and their homes is tragic and lamentable -- but far from unexpected, thanks to homeowners' tendency to sprawl out and nestle right up to the fire line. Some two-thirds of new building in southern California in the past decade was on tinder-dry, fire-susceptible land, says historian Mike Davis. "You might as well be building next to leaking gasoline cans," he says. Many homeowners are not deterred. "We'll stay," says Richard Sanders of Escondido from a fast-food restaurant, awaiting news of how his house fared. "We like the community, we like the area." As many scientific studies have concluded that climate change will make wildfires more frequent and more destructive, he may, unfortunately, also have to learn to like the evacuations.

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  1. edarnold41 Posted 4:29 am
    25 Oct 2007

    re:Sprawling homes susceptible to flamesJust like the developers who have been building homes in floodplains in the Midwest, the Western crowd who created tinderboxes like Rancho Bernardo need to be reined in. After decades of paying people along the Missisippi River to rebuild their homes every few years when the latest flood wiped them out, the insurance companies finally balked and refused to extend coverage to disaster-certain areas. Same policy should apply to the folks who build a frame house with a cedar-shake roof in a canyon covered in underbrush. Maybe upping the annual fire insurance premium to 20% of assessed value will put a damper on sales?

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  2. tmakreider Posted 2:27 am
    30 Oct 2007

    Sprawling homes susceptible to flamesHear ye, hear ye!!  It's time to stop insuring those homes in fire prone areas and/or increase the rates.  The ripple effect of this continuance is frightening AND aggravating! Be a responsible homeowner. If you choose to live in those areas then build a steel frame house with the appropriate fire prone materials.  So what if it is more expensive to build, you end up paying for it in the long run if you don't.  And so does everyone else!!

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  3. sayno2gm Posted 10:43 am
    30 Oct 2007

    Burn babyBurn baby burn, discordant inferno.

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