Sometimes the work we do for one problem helps with another we never expected. The Millikins restored an old house, improved its roof, and addressed drainage and termite concerns. Those choices later had consequences far beyond their original purpose.
An unexpected survivor
After the August 8, 2023, Lahaina wildfire, photographs showed Trip and Dora Atwater Millikin’s red-roofed home standing amid widespread destruction.
During its restoration, the couple had installed a steel roof and replaced landscaping immediately around the house with river stone. Civil Beat reported that the stone was intended to address runoff and termite damage. Fire-risk experts identified the reduced combustible material near the building as a possible contributor to its survival.
The couple were away when the fire struck. This was a story of work completed beforehand, rather than a last-minute effort to defend the house.
Reducing the chances of ignition
FEMA subsequently examined the home’s renovation as a mitigation case study. Its account described the replacement roof and removal of foliage around the building.
Those details offer useful questions for any homeowner considering wildfire risk: What can burn immediately beside the building? Where might embers collect? What work should a qualified professional assess?
One surviving house cannot establish a guarantee. Conditions, nearby burning structures, and chance also matter. Risk reduction should support an evacuation plan; a prepared home is no reason to remain in danger.
A home is more than its walls
In December 2024, Civil Beat returned to the couple. Their home had survived, but their neighborhood had not recovered around them. They hoped it could become a gathering place for returning neighbors; that hoped-for hub had not yet materialized.
They put up Christmas lights as a sign of welcome and hope.
For Everyday Ready, both parts belong in the story. Maintaining a property can reduce vulnerabilities beyond the problem that prompted the work. Looking after the people around it gives that work a larger purpose.
Surviving a disaster does not end the need for compassion. Sometimes it gives us something we can offer.
J. Carter
Based on the published reporting linked below. Everyday Ready has not interviewed the people featured. Practical reflections are Everyday Ready’s own.