I met Jack Cohen about a decade ago when I was a journalist with the AP and he was still working at the National Fire Science Lab in Missoula, MT. A couple years ago, I got back in touch with Jack because I had built a small cabin on land in a densely wooded area of Montana that had suffered from beetle kill not long after I bought the land. Jack was incredibly helpful, patient and knowledgeable. I'd already taken some steps to protect my little cabin based on what I'd learned earlier from Jack. But I asked him to review what I'd done and offer additional advice. I sent him photos, measurements and information on the topography of my building site. I was very pleased when he reported back that I had done everything right so far. He recommended some additional things -- some of them very simple like moving my wooden Adirondack chairs away from the cabin. He never asked for a thing in return, but he has a standing invitation to enjoy a glass of Scotch at my cabin.

..Thank you for the video. In the late 1970s, I worked in fire prevention for the US Forest Service and studied Forestry. We were indeed taught that fire is a natural factor. I recall how the veterans were concerned about the "wildfire/urban interface" - and growing urban encroachment. As young men were eager to get involved in "fire-fighting" but we spent more time on "fire prevention"- We learned many lessons. Thank you for the video.

That background music though!

"Expect or plan for the worse" is not what the city fathers of Paradise, CA did.

That town is toast.....with gasoline for seasoning. If it has that kind of vegetation shown in the video examples. 2/3 of those trees need to come out, and the pine needle carpet needs to come out. Find the safe space start filling the portable tanks and turn on every lawn sprinkler system you can. Push the fuel away from the most defensible houses if you have time. Pull anyone remaining in the community with you into the saftey zone, they might be useful hands after the fire front has passed.

incorrect foot protection not leather as well as not 8 inches or more upper and exposed skin on the shin .

09:23 I don't agree with this. You are missing a critical variable, air temperature. A personal account of a forest fire fighter stated that when he held his hand up to protect his face, the skin on the back of his hand melted and dripped down. Super heated air pre heats the fuel, and this invisible, non flame air must be understood in order to know the proper distance for safety. It must be understood when setting up a deployment area. If you don't factor this in with the distance between fuels + flame length, the aluminum shelter will melt.

VERY dated behavior model. Embers eat buildings when fanned by winds.

Your tile roof at time slot 15:42 has acrylic skylights which are highly flammable and do not even meet class B. Shame on you for showing that and saying it’s a good scenario. However this is a great video for homeowners. Just wish you had done your homework on plastic skylights.