The Façade of Safety in California’s Shelter-In-Place Homes: History, Wildfire and Social Consequence Albert S. Fu afu@kutztown.edu Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Please cite as: Fu, A. S. (2013). The Façade of Safety in California’s Shelter-In-Place Homes: History, Wildfire, and Social Consequence. Critical Sociology, 39(6), 833-849. Abstract This aƌtiĐle edžaŵiŶes the seeŵiŶglLJ iŶĐoŶgƌuous ǁaLJs iŶ ǁhiĐh “helteƌ-iŶ-PlaĐe ;“IPͿ pƌaĐtiĐes haǀe ďeeŶ sold, deploLJed aŶd disĐussed iŶ “outheƌŶ CalifoƌŶia to ďattle ǁildfiƌe. In particular, this will be a critique of the teĐhŶiĐal liteƌatuƌe aŶd appliĐatioŶ of fiƌe safetLJ iŶ housiŶg, as ǁell as the aŶthƌopoĐeŶtƌiĐ huďƌis that huŵaŶs ĐaŶ outsŵaƌt ǁildfiƌe. ‘atheƌ thaŶ foĐus oŶ the suĐĐess oƌ failuƌe of “IP, I am situating the SIP within the context of architecture, the history of fire safety, and the push of neoliberalism. The purpose of this approach is to make SIP and fire safe home design less about technology and know-how, and more about broader social issues such as privatization and social inequality. Introduction In recent years, the increased threat of wildfire has terrorized life and property in Southern California. Like hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf Coast, wildfires have become a seasonal disaster with heavy media coverage. For example, in October 2003, over 280,000 acres (1,133 km2) burned in San Diego County before it was contained in December. Not limited to San Diego, fires also burned the foothills of Los Angeles County, the chaparral of Orange County, and the canyons of Inland Empire turning the sky orange and blanketing the region with ash. Again, in fall 2007, fires in Santa Barbara and San Diego burned over 578,000 acres (2,339 km2). As California burned, reporters swarmed to threatened communities to cover evacuation orders and broadcast images of devastated homes. This disaster movie, however, would not be complete without stories of heroes and survivors. Following these firestorms, the media told stories of Shelter-In-Place (SIP) practices – building and landscaping measures that preemptively protect people and homes from fire. Not surprisingly, the 24-7 news coverage has made SIP a champion amongst developers, government agencies, insurance companies, and homeowners seeking to save people and property (see Cova and Johnson, 2002; Dicus and Scott, 2006). On the surface, the appeal of SIP is obvious. It heroically defends a structure and its inhabitants from danger via ingenuous design and sensible landscaping. Homes are built out of fire resistant material such as tile and stucco. A brush-free perimeter surrounds the house to prevent fire from creeping up to the front door. However, what makes SIP unique is that it makes evacuation a last resort. In fact, an often