Brush fire in the neighborhood? Why not stay put.

SAN DIEGO BURNING IN 2003 (PHOTO: DAVE KENDALL)

If you listened to the radio or watched the news this weekend, you probably heard the comforting voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger telling would-be fraudsters that attempts to take advantage of the California fire tragedy would “not be tolerated.”

But what if, er, there weren’t quite so many burned down houses around to fuel the insurance fraud and rip-off rebuild industries? What if the Californians took Australian advice (a people well versed in forest and brush fires) and...didn’t evacuate? What if they stayed behind and defended their homes?

It might sound kind of mad, but this practice, known as ”prepare, stay and defend” or “shelter in place” is underscored by the fact that most homes that burn during a large fire are not just consumed by a giant wall of flame. Instead, flying embers set especially burnable parts of the house alight when the front is still far away. These burning embers, which travel up to a mile, can be easily extinguished with a bucket or garden hose.

Encouraging more people to stay means that emergency services can concentrate on fighting the fires, not evacuating people. The recommendations don’t extend to the elderly and those with young children. And if you decide to go, go early. Last minute evacuations are lethal.

The real trick, however, is that “sheltering in place” is only really advisable when houses are adequately prepared for brush fires: ensuring access to water, building fire-stopping walls around property, cleaning property of excess flammable debris, keep tools for fire-fighting handy etc. In a place like Southern California, where fires aren’t exactly unusual, it seems that a little preparation would go a long way.