In this episode of the Strong Homes, Safe Families! podcast, host Leslie Chapman-Henderson speaks with Alister Watt, Chief Product Officer at the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). They discuss the urgent need for wildfire preparedness, especially in light of recent devastating wildfires in California.

The conversation covers the Wildfire Prepared Home program, which helps homeowners protect their family and strengthen their property against wildfires. Alister shares insights on the importance of understanding the fire triangle (fuel, heat, and oxygen), the significance of community efforts in wildfire mitigation, and the need for resilient rebuilding practices. The episode emphasizes the role of embers in wildfire spread and the necessity of a systems approach to ensure that individual efforts do not leave weak links in the chain of safety.

The discussion concludes with a message of hope and the importance of ongoing education and collaboration in wildfire safety.

Topics

• Intro/ Educational background (1:23)
• What is the Wildfire Prepared Home Program (4:43)
• California Wildfires /What recently happened in California (9:42)
• Understanding the fire triangle (fuel, heat, oxygen) is crucial for wildfire safety. (13:33)
• The dangers of ember and the importance to the zero to five zone (16:03)
• How rebuilding resiliently and incorporating modern building codes for better protection. (22:45)
• Cost-effective measures to reduce wildfire risks. (27:57)
• Why your neighbor is so important when surviving wildfire (31:59)
• Wildfire-Resilient Neighborhood announcement (38:06)
• There is hope in the evolving science of wildfire safety. (41:18)

Links and Resources

• Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
• Wildfire Prepared Home
• KB Home Introduces Wildfire-Resilient Neighborhood

Connect With Us

• Alister Watts
• Leslie Chapman-Henderson

Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)

Toll-free: 877-221-SAFE(877-221-7233)

Email: info@flash.org