Fires are part of the natural process. Unfortunately, they can wipe out entire neighborhoods when the conditions are correct. Still, one cannot help but notice that after a big fire, some people still have their homes and some do not.
The obvious question is why some of these homes burn to the ground and some survive. The answer in most cases has to do with the type of roofing material used. The fires up and down the coast of California provide proof.
When big fires break out, it appears obvious that the threat they cause is due to their rolling across the ground burning everything in their path. While a threat, there is actually a much bigger problem as shown by fires in California each fall.
The problem with big fires is they create an updraft. As hot air from the fire rises, it takes red hot embers with it. They are then taken by the wind and land on roofs up to a mile away. Whether those roofs provide fuel or not is the key question.
In this case, the fuel is usually the roof itself. When they land on dry wood shingle roofs, there is plenty of fuel and the home will be severely damaged or burned to the ground. When the land on tile, the tiles do not burn so the ember does no damage.
After the fires end, a drive through the communities is like being on the moon with one odd exception. Despite the fact everything is burned to the ground, homes with tile roofs are still upright.
Why does tile do so much better than wood? To answer the question, consider how tile is made. It is essentially a form of mud. Ever seen mud burn? Nope. The worst that tends to happen to tile is it might crack under extreme heat.
Another benefit of tile has to do with how it is used on a roof. Tile is placed so that it steps down and overlaps the piece below it. As a result, there is no risk of embers blowing up under tiles and getting to the wood framing of the home.
If fire is a potential threat in your community, you need to seriously consider converting your home to a tile roof. Failure to do so can result in the saddest of situations when you return to a home that is nothing but charred remains.
