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This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.

KPCC Archive

Even fire-resistant houses are burning in California's megafires

Residences of Andorra Lane that survived the Thomas Fire and those being rebuilt after the damages, on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, in Ventura, Calif. (Photo by Morgan Lieberman/KPCC)
Residences of Andorra Lane in Ventura that survived the Thomas Fire and those being rebuilt after burning down, on Dec. 2, 2018.
(
Morgan Lieberman/KPCC
)

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Listen 4:26
Even fire-resistant houses are burning in California's megafires

California's building codes are not keeping up with the severe, wind-driven wildfires that are becoming the norm. Ten years ago, the state passed strict new standards for homes built in high fire-risk areas. But even homes built to those standards were destroyed in last year's massive Thomas Fire. Now, those burned out homes are being rebuilt in the same places, under the same codes.

Read more on LAist.com: Houses Built To Resist Wildfires Are Burning In Wildfires — And Being Rebuilt In The Same Way

This story is part of Elemental: Covering Sustainability, a multimedia collaboration between Cronkite News, Arizona PBS, KJZZ, KPCC, Rocky Mountain PBS and PBS SoCal.

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