
The massive fire that began in Pacific Palisades on January 7 has kept the city on edge ever since, with multiple other outbreaks flaring up around L.A. in the following days. While many have been contained or extinguished, the devastation left in the fire’s wake is astonishing, with homes reduced to ashes. In light of this reality, one question remains: why is wood the primary choice for construction in an area so prone to wildfires?
Greater availability

The U.S. is rich in mountains, forests, and commercial timber plantations, making wood a readily available material. Its abundance also makes it more affordable, with lower prices than other materials like steel or concrete. Additionally, wood is easier to transport, further contributing to its widespread use.
Flexibility for a mobile lifestyle
Studies show that Americans move homes up to five times in their lifetime. The affordability and quick construction process of wood-framed homes make it easier for people to relocate, whether to a new state or a different neighborhood, without facing major hurdles.
Lower Costs for Homeowners

Building with wood is often associated with significant savings, and to some extent, this is true. According to Miller Construction and Design, constructing with wood typically leads to a 30% faster completion time compared to using concrete. A quicker turnaround translates to lower overall expenses.
However, a study published in ScienceDirect indicates that wood-based homes can be 4.3% more expensive than brick-based homes. Interestingly, single-story houses tend to cost more than two-story houses, regardless of the material used. To minimize investment costs, opting for simpler house designs is recommended.
In 2023, 93% of homes in the U.S. were wood-framed, according to statistics published by the National Association of Homeowners. Despite growing awareness of wildfire risks, wood continues to dominate the housing market due to its practicality, cost-effectiveness, and potential tax benefits.
One of the reasons wood is the preferred construction material in California is its flexibility, which makes it more resistant to the region’s frequent seismic activity. According to the Structure Insider portal, wood structures are not more ductile than steel ones based on current building codes. However, because wood is lighter, it attracts less seismic load for the same ground motion compared to a typical steel structure.
The most common wood building structure in California is wall stud framing, with seismic resistance mainly provided by plywood shear walls. In some cases, steel frames or masonry shear walls are also used. Before the 1960s, various systems were often combined, but since then, the trend has shifted to avoid mixing seismic force-resisting systems (SFRS).
The weight of history and tradition

The tradition of building with wood in the United States dates back to the arrival of European settlers, who needed to construct a large number of homes quickly. Beyond the historical roots, speed remains a key factor. Wood allows for faster construction compared to materials like concrete and brick, making it an attractive choice for building homes.
After years of building this way, wood has become deeply ingrained as the go-to material in people’s minds. However, the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires may serve as a wake-up call, prompting a shift to fireproof materials like concrete.
In fact, the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire served as the city’s wake-up call to move toward more reliable building materials, after thousands of wooden and steel homes were destroyed in the collapse and blaze.
According to an article from SFGATE, after the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco implemented several reforms in its building codes over the years to improve the safety of buildings against disasters such as fires and earthquakes.
These reforms included major changes in 1939, 1956, 1975, 1984, 1990, and 1992. These updates helped make buildings more resistant to fire and earthquakes, enhancing overall safety and promoting structures primarily made of brick or stone with reinforcements such as steel.