sort of along the same lines but just thought I would share since we have had recent fires out here. Insurance now prefers, besides the normal no plants within 5' or more of the house, that the bottom of any flammable material is at least 6" above finished grade. Finished grade includes sidewalks. The reason being that wind blown ash and embers pile up against the house. They give a discount when the home is built this way, as well as some other things one can do to minimize fire risk. That is something that might be taken into consideration when planning the foundation and slab of a new home. After the Santa Rosa fire, it became obvious that all homes can be at risk, even in well groomed tracts. Looking at other states, one can consider the 10.000 acre 2016 fire in Eastern TN near Gatlinburg, where being on the east coast was not a guarantee of safety. I am only bringing this up because if I was planning a new home, I would want to minimize the cost of home owners fire insurance, and some of these standards may end up being adopted nationally within a few years. It would be best to plan the foundation and slab to incorporate some of these standards that might save money over time.
