Designing for Fire Resilience Part Two
Every wildfire season reminds us of difficult realities: the risk fire poses to properties and the aggressive costs of fire protection insurance, especially in the state of California. These events are becoming more frequent where development meets natural landscapes; and whether we like it or not, wildfire is part of the environment in which we live, build, and plan, so we need to be building with this idea at the forefront of our designs.
(Fire) Resilience is also Sustainability
Here at AGD, we know that sustainability and fire resilience are not competing priorities.
In fact, many of today's most effective wildfire-resistant materials also contribute to durable, high-performing, and sustainable buildings. Materials such as fiber cement, recycled steel, mineral wool insulation, lime-based finishes, and other noncombustible assemblies can
improve longevity while reducing maintenance demands and supporting broader sustainability goals when thoughtfully specified.
The most resilient buildings are often those designed for decades of performance—not simply to meet today's minimum code requirements.
The Community Benefits
Wildfire resilience extends beyond individual homes; it serves to create resilient communities.
Neighborhood planning, emergency access, water infrastructure, vegetation management, evacuation routes, and community education all influence how well communities withstand wildfire events. Architects, planners, engineers, local agencies, and residents each play an important role in creating communities that are safer before, during, and after a wildfire.
By integrating fire safety into planning, materials, landscapes, and community design, we can create places and spaces that are better prepared to protect both the people and the environments they call home.
Invest in Protecting Your Home - For Free!
Whether you're planning a new home, retrofitting an existing property, or simply looking to better understand wildfire risk, taking proactive steps can make a meaningful difference.
That's why we've created a free seven-part Wildfire Resilience Seminar Series, offering practical guidance on topics including:
Understanding California's Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)
Home hardening strategies
Defensible space and more…
Access the free resource here: www.andrewgoodwin.us/wildfire
Together, we can design communities that are better prepared, more sustainable, and resilient for generations to come.
Written by Ejay Brady
Citations
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (n.d.). Statistics. CAL FIRE. https://www.fire.ca.gov/our-impact/statistics
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (n.d.). Acres burned vs. structures destroyed [Graph]. CAL FIRE. https://34c031f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a-4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/calfire-website/images/acres-burned-vs-structures-destroyed.jpg?rev=3161d2eb965041babae64433a7bb0ba4&hash=C302365CD5B4AF426053A23F3E23FE14
Federal Emergency Management Agency. (n.d.). WUI awareness. FEMA GIS Hub. Retrieved July 15, 2026, from https://gis-fema.hub.arcgis.com/pages/wui-awareness
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (n.d.). Defensible space. https://www.fire.ca.gov/dspace
National Institute of Standards and Technology. (n.d.). WUI definitions. https://www.nist.gov/el/fire/resources/hazard-mitigation-methodology-hmm/why-implement-hmm-your-community/wui-definitions
Andrew Goodwin Designs. (n.d.). Fire resistance seminar series. https://www.andrewgoodwin.us/wildfire
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