HOUSE & home REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE
FIRE PREVENTION AND RECOVERY REQUIRES
PLANNING & POSITIVITY Homeowners can take steps to protect their homes By Katherine Minkiewicz Staff Writer
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s September marks emergency preparedness month, resources such as dual paned windows, metal roofing and positivity, are all assets that both recovering fire victims and Sonoma County residents should look to as the anniversary of the October wildfires loom. The deadly wildfires of 2017 wiped out many neighborhoods like the idyllic, tree-lined streets of Mark West and Coffey Park, reducing them to a land of ash and mutilated pipes and wells. Now, almost 11 months after the Armageddon-like scene of Oct. 9, homeowners and contractors are looking towards an armory of materials to help make homes more fire resistant. Steve Rahmn, a former Coffey Park resident, is
one such survivor who is choosing to rebuild his home and is planning to make use of the innovative and sturdy building materials available today. Rahmn, whose home previously had no fireproof materials and was a “a standard issue ‘80s” build, is looking to use copper walls manufactured by a New York based company that can allow for a magnified radius of protection. The family man is hoping the new materials will provide a heightened sense of security and a stronger defense. “It looked like a bomb went off and the home was leveled to the ground. I went back around 7:30 or 8 and the only identifiable thing was melted aluminum, a washer and dryer, cars and a toilet,” Rahmn said of the extensive damage. The flames that wiped out his home came through Mark West and over the highway, jumping six lanes and barreling down Hopper Avenue to his home, according to Rahmn. For the rebuild, he said, “We are thinking about designing it with RSG-3D (The New York based copper materials company). Copper walls are
more resistant. It is a (good) safety measure and will provide solid protection.” Dave Leff, founder and CEO of LEFF Construction Design Build in Sebastopol, said the idea of using fire resistant building components has been around; however, the concept is now more widespread. “It was just applied to certain areas (at risk of fire), but now it applies to everyone,” Leff said. “A lot of standard building materials have now been rated by WUI (California’s Wildland-Urban Interface), which is a requirement to build with fire resistant building materials.” Specifically, Leff’s company uses cement stucco, metal siding and Hardie; a cement-based siding material manufactured by the James Hardie Company. “For wood exterior, we have to use materials that are either approved through WUI or have increased dimensions for decking. Venting requirements have also changed. You have to have See Planning and Positivity Page 9