flammable

It’s a question many are now asking in Las Posas Estates and Camarillo Heights — two affluent communities nestled against the foothills of the Santa Susana mountains and dangerously close to a flammable, brush-dominated ecosystem.

As fires devour flammable brush and vegetation, the heat propels burning embers upward.

Some fire researchers say taking simple steps to clear yards, roofs and gutters of flammable vegetation and ensuring there is absolutely no opening for embers to get inside — whether a dog door, a vent or an open window — can virtually fireproof a home.

Another independent study found that both hardening the home and clearing nearby spaces of flammable brush cut the chance of destruction in half — from 40% chance to 20%.

Other measures did little to save houses — such as clearing nearby flammable vegetation beyond 15 feet around the house, which, at best, reduced the risk by 3%.