[1_Rain_Drop]

" A massive amount of destruction could have been avoided if the homeowners had been allowed to use garden hoses to spray the small flames."

Sounds rational but was impossible. The winds were above 50mph. Ever tried to use a garden hose in those winds with a fire approaching at that speed?

Then there is the issue with power. A water pump needs electricity to run. I think power was shut off at a certain point. Embers caused certain houses to burn. How does one water a roof in those winds?

If there were no winds, a lot of houses could have been saved.

This was a no win situation. Very sad.

I was on the phone yesterday with a friend in CO. Her husband has a business not far from Boulder. He called her to ask where was the fire. It was so smoky he couldn't see and he was far from the fire.

This was a freak fire.

[crazy scenario]

" Sounds rational but was impossible. The winds were above 50mph. Ever tried to use a garden hose in those winds with a fire approaching at that speed? "

Impossible you say. If you don't live here don't comment! Some people here used their brains and turned their yard sprinklers on and save there home, while the house next door burned!

[gleeaikin]

“How does one water a roof in those winds?”

One does not water a roof. One builds a metal roof over a thermal noncombustible barrier, or slate, or Spanish tiles. One can also stucco the walls or use adobe, and build windows that do not catch fire. There are lot of good ways to build better in fire prone areas. Just not your standard clapboard house with standard asphalt based shingles, and wooden window and door frames.