2007 Witch Creek & Poomacha Fires Claims Analysis In October of 2007, the Witch Creek and Poomacha wildfires decimated large parts of San Diego County, California. By the time these fires were fully contained, they had burned an estimated 148,000 acres and damaged or destroyed over 1,200 homes and 500 outbuildings. Research & Analysis The Witch Creek & Poomacha Wildfires Closed…
2007 Witch Creek Fire In October 2007, the Witch Creek wildfire devastated large portions of San Diego County, California. In the aftermath, IBHS recognized a critical opportunity to learn from real-world outcomes. By studying these impacted communities, researchers gained valuable insights into how property protection measures influence wildfire damage—informing the landmark report Mega Fires: The Case for Mitigation. Research…
2013 Black Bear Cub Fire On March 17, 2013, the Black Bear Cub Fire in Sevier County, Tennessee, highlighted how structure-to-structure fire spread can rapidly escalate losses—even under moderate wildfire conditions. Research & Analysis What began as a single cabin fire quickly spread through the Black Bear Ridge Resort, ultimately destroying 53 cabins and damaging 20 more. Despite relatively low wildfire…
Vegetation in Zone 0: Amplifying Damage to Structures Vegetation within the first five feet of a home—known as Zone 0—significantly increases heat exposure during a wildfire and can amplify damage, even when plants are well-watered. Explore the full report to learn what our 17 controlled experiments revealed and how they inform future wildfire resilience strategies. Research…
2012 Waldo Canyon Wildfire Waldo Canyon Wildfire: Field Investigation and Lessons Learned Explore the report and video to gain practical insights into how wildfire-prone communities can better prepare for and reduce risk from future wildfire events. Research Fire Adapted Communities Mitigation Assessment Team Findings The 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire near Colorado Springs, Colorado, was one…
About This Research In a wildfire, homes ignite through a complex mix of ember attack and direct flame exposure. This research explains why no single hardening measure can fully protect a building and why a two-tiered, system-based approach is essential. Drawing on the latest science, the paper outlines strategies that provide foundational protection against embers…
Overview With the increasing frequency, intensity, and severity of wildfires leading to conflagration, there is a growing need to develop mitigation strategies for homeowners to meaningfully reduce their risk profile. Extensive experimental testing and post-fire analyses have determined the vulnerability of a home from embers, radiant heat, and flames. While mitigation actions have been developed…
Research With the Oakland Hills Tunnel Fire of 1991, built environment conflagrations returned to United States cities. Wildfire, which had been viewed as a wildland and rural community problem, now was a catalyst for conflagration. Over the next three decades, the most catastrophic wildfires were often those where fire entered communities of the Wildland-Urban Interface…
Research Attached decks are a vulnerable component of a building in wildfire-prone areas. Once ignited, decks can expose a building’s cladding (siding), exterior wall components such as windows and doors, and the under-eave area to flames and radiant heat. This exposure can result in severe damage or destruction of the building. In a wildfire, decks…
Research The distance between structures and the density of housing in communities significantly impact how fires spread in areas where the wildland and urban environments meet (WUI). In high density neighborhoods during a severe wildfire, extreme burning conditions lead to a higher number of structures to burn. Once a few buildings ignite, a domino effect…