To the editor: The neighborhoods in Los Angeles that saw massive fires endured catastrophe for a simple reason: They were built with lumber.
Few countries in the rest of the developed world build homes with wood. Instead, they use concrete blocks or masonry, which do not catch fire.
The United States ranks low in fire safety worldwide. Deaths are common every year. When neighborhoods like the ones in the Los Angeles area burn down, few notice that flammable lumber in construction is the main source of flames — and of deaths.
Post-fire photos show healthy trees, while lumber is clearly the source of the flames. Why are these facts ignored?
I own homes on other continents. The specifications call for concrete block or light gauge steel framing. Many countries rarely use lumber — and it’s because of fire danger, not because they don’t have enough trees.
Mike Roddy, Alameda, Calif.
