Scientists are using controlled fires to study how to protect homes from wildfires. At a site in South Carolina, researchers burn down test houses to learn how different materials and designs can withstand flames. Insurers created the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety to conduct these tests. They have already burned 13 houses. The research has already influenced California’s fire codes, requiring ignition-resistant materials, a buffer zone around houses and stronger windows. The amount of land burned by wildfires and damage done to homes is increasing rapidly as climate change causes the planet to quickly warm.
RICHBURG, S.C. (AP) — It took less than three minutes for wind-whipped flames to go from licking the side of the house to shattering a window and working under the eaves to burn everything inside. Weeks later, another house in the exact same spot was… [337 chars]
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Published: 2026-04-21T14:01:57Z
Credit: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
