The reader of this blog series will have heard us wax lyrical about the Catskills as well as our beautiful houses which are meant to celebrate them, integrating themselves into the surroundings we love so much. And yes, we spoke about various features of the houses themselves, from the foundations to its interior features.
We also mentioned the houses’ durability and low maintenance costs thanks to superior construction practices. But what about fire? Our hearts go out to Los Angeles with its current unprecedented disaster. Some of us have family members there who have been directly impacted. And while the overwhelming posture is empathy and help where possible there are a few points worth making in this context.
Namely, what makes a house fire resistant? You may have read about the Miracle in Malibu where a single home was almost entirely spared fire damage amid complete carnage.
Not by coincidence The Catskill Project homes share many of its features. No, we don’t expect similar fires to occur any time soon – or ever – in the Catskills. After all, last year’s 100-year drought when there were local fires even in Prospect Park in Brooklyn and the Palisades in New Jersey saw virtually no fires in the Catskills. But one never knows as the world is getting increasingly unpredictable. So, when Buck Moorhead and team designed the models for our project with durability and resiliency in mind, fire was on the menu as well.
Now, no home is 100% fire-proof. Given time, fire will have its way. So, the objective is to incorporate design features for fire resistance to make it survive while the wave of fire passes it by. In other words, you are playing for time. And there are a number of strategies to stretch this critical timeline, from the choice of landscaping to design to materials.
You will notice that our homes’ immediate surroundings are simple grass or open space. This simple strategy not only limits the danger of trees falling on the house but also trees burning close to the house. The external design of the houses is very simple, with clean lines, no pop-outs and unnecessary angles and eaves. This makes for potential airborne embers to bounce off or fly by rather than lodge themselves onto the house. We also limit vents, thereby minimizing entry points for embers and heat.

What about materials? Start with Shou Sugi Ban, Japanese charred wood which is highly resistant to heat. Our houses have significant elements of it, and clients can opt for the entire siding to be made of this wood. Same with cupclad – or slate – skirt or siding. Slate is a natural stone known for its fire-resistant properties. We use it for the skirt of the house (primarily used for protection from snow) but the entire house can be clad this way to enhance a home’s resistance to fire due to slate’s non-combustible nature.
It doesn’t stop there. Our 9-ton roof is made of metal and will withstand not just hurricane-force wind but also great heat. The triple-pane windows ensure the inside of the house is extremely quiet but are also resistant to both cold and heat. And the elimination of thermal bridges and the houses’ superior insulation limits the passage of oxygen in and out, thereby depriving the fire of one of its key fuels. The dense-packed cellulose insulation treated with fire-retardant chemicals, installed at a precise density of 3.8 pounds per square foot, ensures durability and performance. This approach prevents settling over time, eliminates weak points in the insulating layer, and enhances energy efficiency by combining fire resistance with the use of recycled materials.
So, there you have it. The Catskill Project homes are constructed using strategies for enhancing resilience against wildfires. We don’t expect you to stand in front of your undamaged home while the forest around you is still smoldering but should a fire in the Catskills occur you are likely to be doing just that.