Berkeley’s Andrew Fischer on mitigating wildfire risk

The risk of wildfires seems greater than ever. Years of drought and soaring temperatures are creating tinderbox conditions across the country, even in the Bay Area. And the rising demand for homes creates a need for new construction across the region.

So how can architects and designers plan for a future that’s more protected against the risk of fire?

Architect Andrew Fischer fully understands the intricacies of building houses in the Bay Area’s physical and bureaucratic landscape.

Fischer and his wife, architect Kerstin Fischer, head Fischer Architecture in Berkeley, a firm specializing in designing custom homes and residential renovations throughout the Bay Area. Increasingly, the Fischers find the threat of wildfire affects their project designs — and these concerns are no longer limited to extremely rural sites. Rather, wildfire risk is an identified issue in wellestablished neighborhoods in many local jurisdictions.

And being aware of the risk of wildfires may be more

important than ever. Experts project a total of about 1.2 million new homes to be built in California’s highest wildfirerisk areas by 2050.

In this interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Fischer talks about fireresistant designs, the future of fire protection and steps people can take to prepare for the worstcase scenarios.

Q: How do you safely approach building or rebuilding in high fire risk areas?

A: Building in fire risk areas starts with careful consideration of the site design. For example, what’s the existing site access like for evacuation? What is the quality of the existing road? Or if a new private road, or long driveway is needed, how wide does it need to be in order to provide good, safe access? Also, it’s important to get a handle on how existing vegetation will affect the design. Cutting back vegetation is a good start, trimming and managing trees, shrubs, grasses to create a defensible space around the house. Another important consideration is the roof design, which we feel should be simple, not complicated with nooks and crannies where dry leaves and such can accumulate. Eave overhangs and exposed gutters can be problematic in terms of fire safety — if a wildfire is present, heat and flames collect under eaves, which can in turn ignite dry leaves and debris that has collected in gutters.

So in general, we try to limit, or omit, such building elements in our designs. Of course selecting noncombustible or ignitionresistant exterior building materials and finishes is key.

Building in an area that has already been affected by a wildfire is a little bit different. Fire risk in such locations is not gone, but is tempered because usually much of the fuel has been eliminated, or at least managed by whatever fire has occurred. Also, oftentimes jurisdictions take the opportunity of this “clean slate” to upgrade infrastructure, such as undergrounding power lines, and widening roads where possible, which makes these areas safer for the future.

Q: Which materials are best for fire resilience, and how to design with them?

A: In fireprone areas, we are mandated by the California Building Code to use noncombustible or ignitionresistant exterior building systems and materials. Some examples are stucco, cement or steel panels. Our office is wrapping up construction on a new contemporary home in the Napa Valley where we’ve used concrete block as our primary building material — it’s the structure, exterior finish, and the interior finish as well. With careful detailing, even simple materials like these can be finessed to create beautiful and resilient architecture.

Q: How should one navigate the complex issue of home insurance when rebuilding in fire zones?

A: There are really two different issues here. The first is the question of how do you manage reimbursement or replacement cost from your insurance company in the case where you’ve lost your home in a wildfire. Through our dealings with insurance companies as we help our clients navigate these fire rebuild complexities, we’ve learned that replacement cost does not necessarily mean you need to rebuild exactly what was lost. I think a lot of people do not know or understand this.

In fact, it’s possible to rebuild with a design that is entirely different from what was lost, and oftentimes that’s precisely what should be done, so that the home and site design can be optimized for fire safety. Another thing to remember when you are negotiating replacement cost with your insurance carrier as you rebuild is that the process can continue into the construction phase in order to correct for inflation and unforeseen costs. My advice is to keep the door open with your insurance company during the rebuild process; don’t leave it as a “one and done” transaction.

I think the second issue is more common right now, and that’s getting fire insurance in high risk areas. You’ll likely need to shop around, and be prepared for some frustration. I have friends who live in the Berkeley Hills whose policies have not been renewed because they live in a high fire risk area. Consumers are often only exposed to larger insurance companies. It’s worthwhile to look for insurance companies that are not overrepresented in the area.

Q: What parts of the Bay Area do you believe to be most at risk for wildfires?

A: Oh wow. Well, there are places all over the Bay Area

Matthew Millman Photography The swimming pool at this home in Ross designed by Fischer Architecture doubles as the water source for an onsite hydrant that firefighters can connect their trucks to.

Matthew Millman Photography When designing new homes in high fire risk areas, Fischer Architecture uses noncombustible exterior materials and avoids details such as eaves, exposed gutters, and complicated roof forms to minimize the possibility of dry leaves and debris accumulation which can ignite when fire is present.