To the editor: In this article, David Barrett, executive director of the Los Angeles Regional Fire Safe Council, says, “Nothing is going to stop an urban wildfire from progressing if it’s wind-driven” (“Will personal firefighting devices help or hurt in future wildfires?,” July 15). But in several Altadena neighborhoods, the fire was hit and miss, leaving a mix of burned and surviving homes. From my vantage point, the fire progressed as a shower of embers, those embers starting small fires that often grew to burn down the house — or not, especially if someone were there to wet them down. The Minnesota case cited in the article showed a 98% success rate for homes with functioning sprinkler systems surviving the fire. A simpler approach for homes with a pool is a gas-powered pump and fire hose. Our setup cost about $1,000. It puts out 120 gallons per minute and can fully soak our house and grounds.
I find the idea that staying behind to fight a fire is a problem that puts lives at risk is too pessimistic and too broad. Clearly, staying to fight is not for everyone, but some have a defense plan and are going to try. Fire departments could build on that willingness and boost neighborhood resilience by coordinating with homeowners to access swimming pools for auxiliary water, advising that swimming pools be equipped with fire pumps, hosting citizen fire training, and encouraging level-headed, able owners and neighbors to participate.
Richard Benson, Altadena