It’s called the "wildland urban interface" where people can live close to nature and to the fires that burn there.
As more houses are built near wildlands, more of them burn.
Robert Bonnie: There’s no question that we’re spending more on the federal-government side firefighting today because of houses in the landscape that we had nothing to do with approving.
Robert Bonnie: The other issue is we put firefighters’ lives in danger if we ask them to fight fires that essentially we can’t stop.
USDA VIDEO: Protecting Your Home From Wildfire Cohen: What ignited this house and burned it down were the little things.
Kern County requires property owners to clear 100 feet of defensible space around homes.
It’s the house of Fred Roach, that retired Forest Service firefighter.
Fred Roach: The house was stucco’ed about fire years ago.
Steve Inskeep: Which doesn’t burn nearly as— Fred Roach: No.
Steve Inskeep: When people have not properly prepared their homes, what do they expect from the fire department when— Judy Hyatt: They expect them— Steve Inskeep: –fire approaches?