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Rellik88 ago

Some trees are naturally fire resistant. The trees depend on fire to sprout.

Othmar_Regin ago

Maybe the trunk and main branches, but the leafs? I don't think any leaf is that fire resistant

hardshaft ago

There's too many variables to take into account to determine that for this picture. What's the type of trees, how moist was the ground / full of fluid were the trees when the fire started. And what were the houses build out of, how easily did they ignite?

If you're used to making camp fires, you'll know that some types of wood will ignite very easily, burns bright with a large vertical upwards flame that won't heat you up even half a meter from the camp fire. And after 5 minutes the wood has turned into ashes.

I could imagine that if the houses were all build out of such a material, easily ignited, burns mostly with high flames dissipating heat vertical, with very little glow value that the trees are mostly just scorched on the surface. Could be enough to boil fluid in the leaves, leaving them looking "sluggish" for a few days before they fall off, but not enough to ignite the tree trunks.

Sullysq ago

Fast growth pine and bamboo (the kinds used in most home construction) burn the way you describe, fast vertical and relatively cool. Vinyl siding goes quickly too. And very popular in the past couple decades is blown in cellulose (paper) insulation that would burn very fast, easily, and low temperature. Modern homes are a tinder box protected only by 1/2 hour of gypsum.

hardshaft ago

Well then, when you describe it like that, why don't we plant some of those eucalyptus trees nearby? Just to be safe, and then we take out a great home insurance.