By Mike Kirwan Venice
Fires happen year after year, for nobody knows how long. Houses burn. People who live in these fire areas should be forced to build fireproof houses.
Some years ago, a big fire wiped out all the houses in one neighborhood, except for one. It made a bunch of magazine covers — one house surrounded by ashes and rubble. The owner had designed it to survive a fire, so it can be done.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 26, 2007. Read the original PDF.