Are certain areas prone to a repeat of fire?

I've never experienced this and can't imagine that's the case, so I would have no problem building a dream home where a fire previously was.

Now a flood on the other hand? No way would I ever voluntarily move to or build on a place that has previously flooded.

We have so many new housing developments being built on playa lakes and every time I pass by I think it is foolish for all those houses to be built out there.

Invariably, we have heavy storms move through every few years, people's homes get damaged or destroyed and then they are on the news complaining of the city not putting in adaquate drainage systems when they built their home in the middle of a playa lake!!

I wouldn't have a problem with a burn area unless access to and from was so restricted it would be hard to leave.

I think some people buy in the flood prone areas because they don't have the money to live elsewhere. People in Hawaii who are losing their houses to the volcano built there because the cost of living is so high, it is too expensive to live elsewhere. There are a lot of families there living in tents and vehicles. A house in an active volcano area is still nicer than a tent until the lava and hot gases show up.

I live in a high fire danger area. I don't think you can avoid the risk of natural disasters completely, can you?

I remember after a massive forest fire seeing an image of a house still standing and in tact surrounded by complete devastation. The fellow had recently built the home using the best fireproofing techniques. The firefighters knew they could save that one as it had a chance...not the others. So *if* I were to build in an area of any natural disasters, it'd be with engineering and design in mind to mitigate any damages.

We have had two houses in rural wooded areas, for about 31 years. Both areas were 'burn' areas, altho there had been no large fires within about 5 miles in those years.

After now moving away, I realize what a great burden has been lifted, not to worry about that. Yes, natural disasters can happen anywhere. And I could still lose my home to a fire. But, one less concern at my age.

Many years ago, I lived in Boulder CO. Both homes I lived in in the 60's were destroyed recently, one by fire, one by flood.

Plan for extra maintenance to maintain fire-safe spaces, and as Annie said, the best in materials and engineering.

I don't live in a state prone to fire, but it reminds me of seeing California all the time on the news. First fire kills all the vegetation then the rain starts mud slides. I don't think I would feel comfortable living in a fire prone area.

I wish I could say yes and if the fires weren’t getting increasingly worse, my answer would be different but sadly no I wouldn’t. IMO, it’s the same as folks building in an area with a history of flooding. I’ve been through both scenarios and lost everything in one, so no it wouldn’t be worth it to me, the risk is too high.

No to fires and no to mud slides and no to flood areas.

Not if it's on a hill and if there is the chance of heavy rains. When forests are burned the root structure is also destroyed which also weakens the stability of the slope. IT doesn't take all that long for nature to reassert itself in burned areas.

I am with blfenton and Georgysmom. I have seen the slides from rain and the rivers and bays take the banks away here in the PNW.

Ditto Georgysmom.

I know of someone who did that very thing near where I live. It was a very hot fire that burned everything in its path. There were literally nothing but the skeletons of burnt trees left. He had all of the debris cleared and built a gorgeous home on top of the mountain. He has stunning 360 views, has kept the area around his home clear of trees and pretty much has no worries of a fire taking out his home. Its just now, 20 years later, that any noticeable new growth is becoming something he needs to keep after.

We, on the other hand, live in a house that is surrounded by trees (although we work every spring at thinning and limbing trees and keeping the underbrush clear) and fire is something i worry about all summer until the fall rains start in october.

Edit to add that where we live, the terrain is very rocky and mud slides aren't something we have to be concerned about. I know of just one area that is slide prone, but nothing has been built there.

I think that building where fire has previously burned is a smart strategy provided that future growth is kept in check, new trees are thinned regularly and mud slides aren't a problem.

We are not in a burn area, but completely surrounded by them. The planes that drop water often fly directly over our house all day, every day when there is a fire near. We can also end up engulfed in smoke and ash- in the 16 years we've been at this house, I can remember about 5 really bad episodes, and many less severe.

No, I would not build in a burn area, at least not near to where we are now, I've seen them burn or be evacuated too many times and I personally could not handle that stress. It would be great to live among the trees, but it comes with a potential price.

I think there are probably different types of burn areas. What I am thinking of is mainly wooded. The places I'm more familiar with probably have more access to the site. There are mountains and hills. The places I think of as most likely to have landslides are usually out in the western states. The western states also tend to have less water and waterways to act as natural barriers to a fire.

No. Safety aside, why would I want to live in an area of desolation? I certainly would not build my 'dream house' there -- maybe a shack to use as a retreat?