I'm sure you've heard of BitWit the PC Youtuber. Seems he's lost everything in the terrible fires.

 

Utterly dreadful. 

Don't know why that cop had his hand on his gun. 🙄

Poor people have lost their entire homes and 11 dead apparently.

Hope Avsim members who live in that location are okay. 

I've been saying it for years now, time for everyone to move back to Detroit. No Huricanes, No Earthquakes, No Fires and No Droughts, in fact Detroit is surrounded by an abundance of fresh water in all directions, it was once one of the wealthiest cities on the planet with a population over 2 million people, it was foolishly abandoned.

Toronto and Chicago are similar climate and with plenty of fresh water and have both done well with populations exceeding 5 million now, Detroit can sustain a population of 5 million as well, but people keep on moving into regions with Huricanes, Earthquakes, Fires and Droughts and wonder why they can't get insurance anymore 🤔

An incredible story.  I've only seen such devastation in Korea when I was a young Marine.  The personal aspect of the video is something never seen or just glossed over in news reports.  This video brings home the human side of the fires like nothing I have ever seen before.  I really can't find the words to express the feelings I had watching it and trying to imagine how I would feel in those circumstances.  Thanks, Martin, for posting this.

Noel

3 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

but people keep on moving into regions with Huricanes, Earthquakes, Fires and Droughts and wonder why they can't get insurance anymore 🤔

 

It does make you wonder why they keep rebuilding in the same vulnerable places, and with wooden structures, too. 

Nice car for an Youtuber... Makes you wonder.

3 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

Toronto and Chicago are similar climate and with plenty of fresh water and have both done well with populations exceeding 5 million now, Detroit can sustain a population of 5 million as well, but people keep on moving into regions with Huricanes, Earthquakes, Fires and Droughts and wonder why they can't get insurance anymore 

Well, there are a number of reasons why most people don't want to move to Detroit and Chicago.  I'm not talking about the wealthy who can afford to live outside those cities in the still very nice, rich, high-class suburbs.

The same goes for why people are moving to the Southern States - they are literally escaping.  Escaping what, I am not allowed to discuss here, but many know what I'm talking about.  Florida used to be a prime destination, but with the crowded cities, high cost of living, hurricanes, flooding, and extreme cost of home insurance, many are starting to leave.

Dave

35 minutes ago, martin-w said:

 

It does make you wonder why they keep rebuilding in the same vulnerable places, and with wooden structures, too. 

Because the gov. continues to subsidize flood insurance for those folks, which is absurd, as many of them have million+ dollar homes and could afford to pay the exorbitant insurance cost.

As to why we still build wood-framed houses, my guess is that it is cheaper to build those as opposed to concrete structures, and builders here only care about maximizing their profits.  It is also faster and easier to throw up a wood frame and slap some wood panels and vinyl siding on the exterior, so they can build more houses in a shorter time frame, which also translates into more profit.  The only thing concrete on our houses is the foundation.  Some houses have a brick exterior, but even this is really a facade that is not actually part of the structure and just loosely attached to the wood frame.

Houses here are only built to last about 50 years before they need major work/repairs.  Yes, some last longer, and we do have wood houses that are 150+ years old, but in most cases those have undergone major updating and reconstruction at some point.

Dave

10 minutes ago, dave2013 said:

As to why we still build wood-framed houses, my guess is that it is cheaper to build those as opposed to concrete structures

I'm guessing it's because the concrete-cinder block-stone-whatever structures would get destroyed too, and it's just more cost effective to build with wood. 😄 

Besides, aren't we all about renewable resources? Wood is renewable, last I looked. Wood literally "grows on trees!" 😄 😄

Seriously, how much damage can a non-wood structure take before it's considered structurally unsafe and has to be totally demolished before you can rebuild?

My heart goes out to these people.

Hook

Two days ago, they said 2000 structures had been burned down. It's more now. Over 95% of Californians don't live near forests where there is no wildfire threat.

The powers that be, in the name of being Earth friendly, forbade cutting out brush and trees in strips to form fire brakes for to block future fires, because that was "unnatural". And they prevented the reservoirs to fill in order to channel the water elsewhere to save the smelt (tiny fish species). When the planes and firetrucks needed water from reservoirs or fire hydrants there wasn't enough, it ran out quickly. Therefore the fires raged on, uncontrollable. They did use ocean water in the planes, but the salt damages most everything it contacts.

Many of these types of fires are caused by the homeless in camps where they have no legal right to be, and who are careless with their outdoor cooking and heating fires. Often they are drug addicts with less than enough common sense. In most places, other than California, trespassers are not allowed. Get a job and therefore housing or leave. There are more unfilled jobs than people unemployed in America.

1 hour ago, dave2013 said:

Well, there are a number of reasons why most people don't want to move to Detroit and Chicago.  I'm not talking about the wealthy who can afford to live outside those cities in the still very nice, rich, high-class suburbs.

The same goes for why people are moving to the Southern States - they are literally escaping.  Escaping what, I am not allowed to discuss here, but many know what I'm talking about.  Florida used to be a prime destination, but with the crowded cities, high cost of living, hurricanes, flooding, and extreme cost of home insurance, many are starting to leave.

Dave

My brother moved to Detroit about 5 years ago now, he actually really likes it. His house is on Lake Saint Clair and he can sit on his deck and watch the ships passing through, he is a musician so feels at home there. In the past he has lived in Toronto, Los Angelas and Chicago and is really enjoying Detroit. It is a perfect city for startups which is what he does, cheap rents and low overheads, and surprisingly low crime (at least where he lives and works) especially compared to what has happened in LA, San Francisco and Chicago these days. I would say Detroit has become the USA's best kept secret with a lot of potential for a revitalisation.

If you live in Florida or California and your insurance is cancelled, that won't happen in Detroit, because nothing happens in Detroit these days

1 hour ago, LHookins said:

I'm guessing it's because the concrete-cinder block-stone-whatever structures would get destroyed too, and it's just more cost effective to build with wood.

Yes, a fire can also destroy concrete buildings, but they are certainly more resistant.  Look at how fast a wood house goes up in flames in a fire.

Concrete buildings can also withstand hurricanes and tornadoes much better than wood houses, and you do see some of these concrete or concrete block houses in Florida, but mostly they just keep on rebuilding the same old wood structures. 

Dave

16 minutes ago, Matthew Kane said:

My brother moved to Detroit about 5 years ago now, he actually really likes it. His house is on Lake Saint Clair and he can sit on his deck and watch the ships passing through

Looks like he's up around Grosse Pointe or north of there, and that ain't really "Detroit".  Grosse Pointe is a very wealthy enclave.

Dave

4 hours ago, dave2013 said:

As to why we still build wood-framed houses, my guess is that it is cheaper to build those as opposed to concrete structures

Apparantly steel framing isn't that much more expensive compared to timber framing. the cheapest form of steel frame are just sheet metal bent to around the same size as a standard 2 X 4 and you screw them together the same way as 2 X 4's.

If I was to live in a fire zone I would just steel frame with a stucco exterior with at least a 1 hour fire rating (or more) and clay roof, also the landscaping should be stone or concrete with no vegetation that can burn to create a buffer zone to the house. If people do rebuild in these regions steel framing and stucco should be a bare minimum.

If you were really smart you would also install rain water tanks to hold water for when there is a fire, you could also pump that into a sprinkler system around your property to wet everything for when the flames are approaching. I currently have two rain water storage tanks on my property, one for earthquake reserve, the other to water our lawn during water shortages, they work very well I highly recommend them. 

There are a lot of solutions you can live in these regions if you prepare for it

Quote

The trend of wooden houses in America is rooted in a history dating back to European settlement, where the need for quick and affordable housing led to the widespread use of wood. The abundance and accessibility of wood, coupled with its cost-effectiveness, have made it a practical choice for homeowners and builders.

https://bestdiplomats.org/why-american-houses-are-made-of-wood/#:~:text=The trend of wooden houses,choice for homeowners and builders.

 

I understand that wooden house fair better in earthquakes, due to the ability to flex. 

Edited January 12, 20251 yr by martin-w