In 1961, the Bel Air-Brentwood Fire burned more than 500 structures

LA Curbed ^ | December 6, 2017 | Elijah Chiland

[SamAdams76]

Worth posting just for this image of Richard Nixon saving his home by standing on his roof with a garden hose.

[Lurker]

He’s wearing a tie and his sleeves are buttoned.

L

[SamAdams76]

That's pretty casual by Nixon standards. At least one step down from beach wear.

[DownInFlames]

Photo op

[WVNan]

Oh my.....wooden shingles on a house in CA? Asking for trouble.

[zeestephen]

Notice the wood shingle roof. That's an invitation for disaster.

I'm certain there is also a photograph of a Hollywood Blond Bombshell (can't recall which one) standing on the roof of her home, and her blouse is soaking wet because of the high winds blowing water spray back on her.

A magnificent PR photo, but possibly from a different year.

[Oscar in Batangas]

I remember watching Brian Williams’ live reports on this fire! (We had just set up our new 60” HD TV)
The event is seared into my memory.

[Dan(9698)]

I attended a firefighting school with the national Guard in southern California shortly after the Belair fire. They showed a movie they made but were not allowed to show on TV.

The fire would skip some of the houses. The reason those houses were skipped and weren't burned was because they had fire-proof roofs. All those that burned had wooden shingles.

I guess they didn't learn anything.

[bigbob]

What a hoot! Future Potus working to save his property, now we have Hollyweird buffoons claiming the Potus started the fire that threatens their property.

[A Navy Vet]

"The reason those houses were skipped and weren't burned was because they had fire-proof roofs. All those that burned had wooden shingles."

However, if the brush or tree goes up next to a cement tile roofing, it can and will ignite the underlying wood framing, not mention the wood framing on the inside of stucco. It's called heat radiation.

Saw a TV video last night where one side of the street was in ashes, but the firefighters were able to stop it from crossing the street. The destroyed homes were of the same newish development and all had cement shingles.

But yes, wood or composite shingles are just asking for it.

[Terry Mross]

It was a rental property. And on Bundy Drive. Does that sound familiar?

[BenLurkin]

Global warming.

The “New Normal” since 1961.

[BunnySlippers]

I remember it well. We lived in Brentwood.

[BunnySlippers]

Haha ... slacks and shoes!

[BunnySlippers]

Yes, I used to drive it often. For out-of-towners, it was the OJ Bundy Crime Scene.

[beelzepug]

“Brian Williams’ live reports...” “... our new 60” HD TV.”

Now that’s funny!!

[umgud]

Wood shake shingles were all the rage. I’m not sure any insurance companies will insure such a house today.

[yldstrk]

I have wood shingles still. Where I live we were required to have them. they look good, a whole lot better than composite.

[umgud]

I have concrete shingles. I’m not in a fire area, but I know folks here whose insurance companies either wouldn’t renew or charged a huge premium for wood.

[Oscar in Batangas]

It was seared into my memory because he pronounced it “Burntwood”, not “Brentwood”.
...Those darned handwritten cue cards!