Michele Barbato, faculty director of the CITRIS Climate initiative, spoke on how wildfires spread and destroy homes, as well as what homeowners can do about it. Barbato’s lab has found that earth-blocks — made of compressed earth and water-resistant materials — can withstand fire, hurricanes and water, making them an effective building material for California homes.
Photo Credit: Dylan Cole for The New York Times. A Texas home made of earth-blocks, a fire-resistant building material studied by Michele Barbato.