Some of you have probably come across this photo online (this particular one is via Civil Beat):

It is a photo of what looks to be the only remaining house in Lahaina, following Hawaii's devastating wildfires this month.

Naturally this raises an important question: Why was this house spared?

The likely answer is that it was a combination of things. But some believe that the single biggest factor was the non-combustible zone that the owners had inadvertently created around the perimeter of their home.

They did it to direct water and avoid possible termite damage, but it turns out that this is what most jurisdictions recommend in order to reduce wildfire risk.

Here in Canada, FireSmart recommends a 1.5 meter non-combustible zone.

So while luck surely played a part, so too did design.