Monday, January 12, 2026

A Year After the Eaton Fire, Altadena Residents Face the Question: How Do You Build a Home That Won’t Burn?

Marketplace Tech explores fire-resistant construction as thousands navigate the costly, complicated path to rebuilding

The oaks and eucalyptus that lined David Brancaccio’s street are gone. So is his cottage—1,100 square feet of English Tudor charm, purchased two months before the Eaton Fire reduced it to ash and cracked stucco.

A year later, Brancaccio, who is a radio host, stands on an empty lot in Altadena, one of 15 neighbors on his block who lost everything when the fire tore through on January 7, 2025. The fire killed 19 people and destroyed 9,414 structures according to Cal Fire, making it the deadliest in modern Los Angeles County history.

Marketplace Tech, a weekday public radio program and podcast produced by American Public Media,  turned its attention to a question Brancaccio and his neighbors are wrestling with: How do you build a home that won’t burn next time?

That’s the subject of a Marketplace Tech segment airing January 12 titled “Building a home with future fires in mind.”

The program examines fire-resistant construction technologies emerging from the disaster—and the practical obstacles that make adopting them difficult.

Architects and manufacturers say newer materials could speed construction but at a higher cost. Cross?laminated timber, or CLT, can be assembled in days and offers strong fire resistance, said University of San Diego professor Daniel López?Pérez, whose demo home went up with a three?person crew. Manufacturers such as Mercer Mass Timber report 15% to 20% schedule savings by producing customized panels off site.

But CLT runs about 20% more than standard lumber, a hurdle for residents already stretched thin. Brancaccio said he is aiming for fire?resilient upgrades that fit a “Volvo?level” budget, including concrete?look exteriors, double?pane windows and ember?resistant vents.

Some neighbors have begun rebuilding; others hope 2026 will bring progress after losing multiple properties.

Families are redesigning homes together, and residents say affordability and available expertise will determine whether new technology takes hold.

Retired nurse Pauline Gray, who lost her home, said she is looking ahead: “2026 is going to be a beautiful year, because 2025 was not.”

It can be heard in full here: The January 12, 2026 episode can be accessed at the official Marketplace episode page: https://www.marketplace.org/episode/2026/01/12/building-a-home-with-future-fires-in-mind