scarab92 22 hours ago

Wood for earthquake resistance vs masonry for fire resistance seems like a false dichotomy.

Australia has a lot of experience with building fire resistant homes, and they didn’t do it with masonry, they did it with timber and steel framed homes, plus fireproof cladding and roofing materials, keeping a perimeter free of vegetation and protecting against ember ingress.

It is possible to have both earthquake and fire resistance in a stick framed home, without the expense of resorting to reinforced concrete.

2
jpalawaga 22 hours ago

California's building codes are the same. Three problems: overhaul takes generations, monster fire storms will still burn resistant materials, and brush upkeep is difficult

nejsjsjsbsb 20 hours ago

Australia is surprisingly urban, especially in terms of I would guess 90%+ of people live in relatively safe places fire wise (putting inhalation of particles aside).

People in built up areas almost don't think at all about wildfire safety, cladding an so on.