Wildfire Resistant by Design

by Sam Nishek, Architect, LEED AP

Two weeks ago in the hills just outside of Boulder, a spark turned into a flame, a flame into an inferno:  the Four Mile Fire.  On Monday, the fire was fully contained, but the aftermath included 166 homes lost.  Now, the community has galvanized around those affected with offers of places to stay, home cooked meals, and multiple benefit events & forums.  The architectural community can act as a resource for ideas on rebuilding with knowledge:

What are wildfire resistant design, technology, and material best practices?

How can we best consider site parameters to facilitate wildfire mitigation?

How can we best integrate sustainability into these new homes?

Over the past 30 years, Barrett Studio has designed many homes in the urban/rural interface like that of Four Mile Canyon.  With this experience, we’ve explored several aspects of building a wildfire resistant home.  While there is no such thing as a fireproof home, attention to these points while planning & building a home will give it a much better chance of surviving a wildfire.