A recent report from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers recommendations on how to rebuild and protect against future wildfires. The report, which follows the tragic wildfire in Lahaina on August 8-9, 2023, that killed at least 102 people and destroyed over 1,500 homes and structures, stresses the need for both individual and community-wide strategies.
The study suggests several key measures to help prevent wildfires from becoming catastrophic. These include creating more space between buildings, removing easily ignitable materials, and reinforcing properties to withstand embers and flames.
“Whether it’s one house or an entire community, they’re only as safe as their weakest link,” said Roy Wright, CEO of IBHS. “Every vulnerability needs to be addressed.”
In collaboration with Hawaii state officials, IBHS conducted a thorough investigation into the Lahaina wildfire, which destroyed 75% of the town’s buildings and caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damages. The investigation identified three key factors that made the fire spread so quickly:

  • Structure density: Flames from burning homes often extended over 20 feet, rapidly igniting homes at closer distances downwind.
  • Connective fuels: Connective fuels acted as pathways that brought fire to and enabled its spread through the built environment, including plants, secondary buildings and vehicles.
  • Building materials: Fire-resistant building materials offer higher resistance against thermal exposures compared to traditional materials, but their effectiveness was diminished in Lahaina due to intense heat from nearby burning buildings with limited structure separation.

The report also highlights the role of homes at the edges of communities, especially those near grasslands. These homes are the first line of defense against grass fires, and if they are built with fire-resistant materials and surrounded by enough open space, they can help prevent the spread of fires to the rest of the community.
To reduce the risk of wildfires at the community level, IBHS researchers recommend:

  • Maintaining fuel breaks: Fuel breaks are vegetation gaps designed to reduce or stop wildfire spread. Communities in wildfire-prone areas should develop and upkeep fuel breaks around developed areas to prevent grass fires from becoming conflagration events.
  • Expanding separation distances: Spacing buildings further apart can reduce the likelihood of building-to-building fire spread. Additionally, noncombustible privacy fencing materials can reduce the chances of wildfire spreading to other buildings when a home does ignite.
  • Promoting mitigation strategies: Communities should construct new buildings with wildfire resilience in mind. By constructing homes with fire-resistant materials using resilient construction methods, like the Wildfire Prepared Home Plus™ standard, structures have a higher chance of survival and can reduce the hazard for other homes within the community.

Homeowners living in areas at higher risk for wildfires can also take steps to protect their properties. The IBHS’s Wildfire Ready guide offers practical advice, including:

  • Creating defensible space: Homeowners can most significantly reduce their wildfire risk by creating a 5-foot noncombustible buffer around their home, also known as Zone 0. This buffer reduces the chance of structural ignition from embers.
  • Reducing connective fuels: Reducing the number of connective fuels around a property, such as plants, combustible objects or vehicles, can help slow the spread of fire.
  • Using fire-resistant building materials: Homeowners interested in reducing wildfire risk can construct or retrofit their homes using fire-resistant building materials, such as metal fencing, brick or stucco siding and enclosed eaves.

Dr. Faraz Hedayati, IBHS lead research engineer, emphasized that both individual homeowners and communities play a role in reducing wildfire risk. Taking these steps can also help firefighters by limiting the number of ignited buildings, allowing them to focus their efforts.
IBHS is dedicated to conducting scientific research to help protect homes, businesses, and communities from natural disasters. More information is available at ibhs.org.

PC: DLNR Hawaii