Six Months After the L.A. Fires: Rethinking Wildfire Defense

Six months ago devastating fires swept across Los Angeles and the lessons learned continue to reshape how we think about wildfire defense. 

Wildfires are now a common occurrence that infiltrate highly populated areas with high winds and ember cast that quickly overwhelm water and firefighting resources. As the L.A. fires demonstrated, the threat is year-round and hitting closer to home than ever before. 

At Frontline Wildfire Defense, we witnessed firsthand how proactive fire defense can protect a home while others around it burn to the ground. 

A real-world test

The January wildfires in Los Angeles provided an unprecedented test for our systems. During the fires, Frontline’s wildfire defense systems were activated on 61 homes across some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods and 96% of those homes survived. Thanks to our integrated approach combining advanced tracking software, satellite connectivity, and sprinkler hardware, the vast majority of these homes were protected from devastating fire damage. The results provide powerful, real-world proof of concept:

• One home’s deck burned right up to the line where our sprinklers had pre-wetted the property
• Flames advancing up an exterior staircase were halted upon reaching the protected wet zone
• In one of the most devastated neighborhoods, a Frontline-protected home was the last one standing on its stretch of the block
• Several homes remained safe despite losing water pressure, thanks to our water management strategy

Of the two homes that were lost, they experienced ember intrusion into the interior of the home through vents, or flashover mid slope in a canyon. These edge cases remind us that wildfire defense is only as strong as its weakest point. Sprinklers are a vital part of active defense, but they work best as one part of a layered strategy that includes structural hardening and vegetation management in the immediate zone surrounding a structure. Together, these elements provide a stronger, more resilient defense against wildfire.

Looking ahead: Rebuilding fire resilient communities

These experiences reinforce our core philosophy: instead of fighting against fire, we need to focus on protecting what matters, starting with the home and working outward.

Frontline prioritizes stopping ignition before it starts. Windborne embers, the leading cause of home loss in wildfires, can be countered with smart defense systems. Once a structure ignites, the chances of saving it drop dramatically. Prevention requires far less water than attempting to extinguish an active structure fire.

Wildfire isn’t just a California problem – it’s a national issue. From Paradise to Boulder, Lahaina to Los Angeles, the Carolinas to Massachusetts, we’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. Structure loss is preventable, but solving this challenge requires awareness and action from everyone:

• Builders and architects must integrate wildfire resilience into new construction
• Insurance providers need to adapt to the changing fire landscape by recognizing proactive defense measures
• Permitting agencies and building codes should evolve faster to embrace technologies that enhance resilience

As we help communities rebuild, Frontline remains focused on building smarter, stronger, and more resilient homes. We’re working with builders and architects who are tackling the challenges of rebuilding: combining speed, scale, and resilience in new ways. And we are working with federal, state, and local leaders to balance protection of communities with the natural process of fire. 

Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the L.A. fires: homeowners, businesses, and entire communities on the long road to rebuilding. We extend gratitude to the fire service personnel who worked tirelessly for 24 days protecting lives and property. Their heroic efforts, alongside the coordination of emergency responders, government agencies, and community volunteers, made a critical difference in saving lives and limiting damage.

The LA fires remind us why resilience matters— and what actually works. Defending against wildfire requires a layered approach: home hardening, proactive defense systems like Frontline, and vegetation management around the home. When these mitigants work together, they provide real, proven protection. That’s how we begin to bring our communities into balance with nature and build a future where we safely coexist with fire.