Summary Principles:
FIRE RESILIENCE STARTS ON THE SITE.
Design nearby landscaping with care and attention, planting only qualified species with adequate separation. Take advantage of outer vegetation to break-up winds and catch embers.
EVERY OPENING IN A HOME’S ENVELOPE IS A VULNERABILITY.
Minimize vent openings, locate them in accessible and shielded locations, and protect them with fine metal mesh screens and shutters.
THE RIGHT DESIGN ADDS CAN BE COST SUBTRACTORS.
Plan your project with incentives and financing programs in mind. Design to maximize your available funds. Consider first costs and ongoing costs for every design decision.
A SELF-SUFFICIENT HOME IS A RESILIENT HOME.
Minimize your reliance on city or utility services. Install on-site solar panels, battery system and water storage system for their benefit to resilience, and for the incentive money they unlock.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND FIRE RESILIENCY CAN SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
A tight and well-insulated envelope, ductless heating and cooling systems, fire-resistant windows and shading systems each exemplify how thoughtful design elements can meet multiple goals.
A SIMPLIFIED HOME DESIGN CAN BE MORE EASILY MANAGED IN A WILDFIRE.
Use only electric equipment and appliances, group and centralize vents, and minimize roof overhangs and decks.
BUILD QUALITY IS KEY TO FIRE RESILIENCE.
Build with prefabricated components to shorten construction time, lock-in costs, and assure build quality.
A STRONG COMMUNITY NETWORK CAN BETTER MANAGE RISK AND RESPOND TO DISASTER.
Bolster lines of communication and organize fire resilience efforts as a unified community. Develop your community’s ability to share information, recognize vulnerabilities, and organize community efforts.
Locals who’ve lost their home as a result of wildfire have shown tremendous courage and tenacity to rebuild despite the many challenges they face. The Malibu Foundation sponsored this guide, knowing that “Malibu rebuilders” need more than courage; they need focused technical support to tackle the mountain of considerations they must face in the rebuilding process. This document was developed to provide just that. Over a four month period, Terrapin Bright Green and a group of expert advisors engaged with community members through interviews, a workshop, and numerous emails and phone correspondence, to understand— and then address—the most challenging aspects of rebuilding.
A rebuilder’s primary focus is to get back home as quickly as possible. So, adding fire resiliency and energy efficiency features to the new home—as this document recommends—may seem like an added burden. But we’re confident that once you read this guide you’ll come away with a better understanding of how to expedite your rebuild, increase your available funds, and better position your new home for the future. The content in this guide was developed specifically for Malibu residents who lost their homes in the Woolsey fire, however, much of the information is applicable to greater California and even fire-prone areas nationwide. The 47 recommendations that follow address key challenges in five topic areas: insurance, financing, home design and construction, landscaping, and community resilience. Each recommendation features a summary of considerations, action steps and supporting resources that are meant to get you moving in the right direction. The information is intended for those considering rebuilding, those in the rebuilding process, and designers and engineers engaged in rebuild projects. The document isn’t intended to be an exhaustive list of fire-resilient rebuilding practices, but rather to encourage key strategies that work particularly well within your financial and time constraints.
