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Homeowner details incredible technology that saved house from devastating LA wildfire: 'It's ... fire-resistant'

The Palisades Fire was one of four simultaneous wildfires that burned in Southern California.

The Palisades Fire was one of four simultaneous wildfires that burned in Southern California.

Photo Credit: iStock

The deadly Palisades Fire destroyed 6,833 homes, buildings, and other structures as it burned 23,707 acres in the Los Angeles area. But some properties escaped the devastation unscathed.

Michael Kovac compared video of the blaze at his property to "a million glowing fireflies in the worst possible way," NTD News reported.

Fiber-cement cladding, which incorporates newspaper, encases the house.

"It's both using a recycled material and it's extremely fire-resistant, which has now been proven out for us," Kovac said.

He also touted a green roof, which has become a popular way to prevent stormwater runoff issues and lower temperatures. This feature can even lower pollution and improve energy efficiency.

"We have a planted roof, which is both an incredibly environmentally friendly, sustainable thing … in terms of water reclamation, nature, habitat, but it also has the benefit in fire of about 4¼ inches of earth and little volcanic stones," Kovac said. "So, even if these plants burn off, we have this soil protecting layer on top of the roof."

The Palisades Fire was one of four simultaneous wildfires that burned in Southern California. It and the Eaton Fire killed 29 people. (Here's how to help those who were affected.)

A few homes that included fireproof features remained while neighboring houses burned down, but luck was involved, too. Drought, dry vegetation, and hurricane-force winds combined to create unusually intense conditions, and people had to flee for their lives.

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The state's homeowners insurance market was already on a knife edge, and this could make things worse. However, lawmakers are trying to protect citizens by mandating that carriers write policies in fire-prone areas.

Wildfires are happening more frequently, lasting longer, and growing more intense because of the rising global temperature, which is driven by humans' burning of dirty energy sources such as gas and coal. This pollutes the environment and traps heat in the atmosphere, unbalancing the climate and resulting in the increased likelihood and strength of extreme weather events like hurricanes, droughts, floods, and heatwaves.

If you're set to lose insurance coverage, ask questions. Making changes to your home could help you keep it. Otherwise, our best bet is collective action. Use your voice to push for greener practices among friends and family as well as in your community, which can lead us toward a cleaner, safer future.

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