In the Line of Fire

Rethinking Homebuilding for a Resilient Future

by Ken Calligar, Founder & CEO, RSG 3-D

When the smoke cleared after the devastating Tubbs Fire of 2017 in Northern California, what remained was a haunting silence, and a pressing question: How can we build homes that survive the next one?  More than 5,600 structures were lost in that fire, many in Santa Rosa, where entire neighborhoods were reduced to ash.  Yet amid the devastation, a handful of homes built with fire-resistant technologies stood firm.  These were not futuristic bunkers or luxury compounds, they were normal homes, built intentionally with abnormal resilience.

         In California specifically, after the Tubbs Fire, a range of building approaches were tested in the rebuilding process.  Several homes rebuilt using these methods in Napa and Sonoma Counties have since endured subsequent wildfires, as well as seismic activity, with minimal reported damage.  In several instances, while many neighboring structures were lost, these homes remained intact.  This kind of performance is becoming less of a novelty and more of a necessity. 

         Fast forward to 2025, and wildfires are no longer seasonal, they’re perennial.  This year’s Los Angeles wildfires are a grim reminder that even dense urban areas are not immune.  The intersection of climate change, drought, and development at the wildland-urban interface has created a volatile situation.

         “We can’t keep rebuilding the same way and expect different results.  As wildfires become more intense and frequent, we need to embrace building systems that are proven to withstand these threats.  Fire-resistant construction isn’t just smart, it’s essential for the safety and longevity of our communities,” said David Shew, a retired CAL FIRE Staff Chief and Napa County’s first Fire Administrator. 

         While fire-resistant materials can’t stop fires from starting, they can help stop them from spreading, and they can give firefighters time to act.  More importantly, they can save lives and homes.  So why isn’t every house built this way?

         There’s a common perception that building with alternative materials is more expensive or complicated.  In reality, building with structural panels like the ones mentioned herein can reduce framing and insulation time significantly.  There is a learning curve so training is important, but builders who embrace these systems often report smoother inspections, fewer delays, and more efficient crews.

         The bigger issue is inertia.  For decades, American homebuilding has defaulted to wood.  It’s familiar, flexible, and deeply embedded in codebooks and contractor habits.  Changing that isn’t easy, but it’s necessary.  Policy shifts are helping.  After the 2017 and 2018 fire seasons, California updated its building codes, tightening standards for materials and requiring more robust fire protection in high-risk areas.  But codes alone won’t drive transformation.  It takes education, and examples.

         Resilient design isn’t about a single material or hazard, it’s about a mindset.  While fire resistance is often the headline, the same structural qualities, tight, reinforced construction, minimal combustible material, and exceptional strength, translate across multiple disaster types.

         “Resilience isn’t just about surviving the next fire, it’s about ensuring a home or building can stand strong for decades to come.  We need to think in terms of generational safety when disasters create a new landscape on which to build,” added Shew. 

         True resilience is about more than surviving a single event.  It requires a long-term perspective, one that looks beyond the next building cycle and asks how a structure will perform over decades.  In an era defined by intensifying climate threats, building for the long haul is no longer optional, it’s essential.

         As we rebuild from the latest wave of wildfires, we have a choice.  We can stick with the same methods and hope for different outcomes and some form of insurance, or we can embrace materials and systems that have proven their worth repeatedly in the harshest conditions.  Fire-resistant housing isn’t a luxury, it’s a responsibility.  If we want our families and communities to endure the future, we must start building like we mean it.