First off, I am talking about a wildfire firestorm, not a wartime bombing-type firestorm.

Do you remember a very recent thread about the evacuations of large cities, and some of the reasons why it doesn't work well? The idiots causing the problems are the same kinds of people who try to stay and fight a wildfire, and then scream for help when they're surrounded. No training, no preparation, no brains, no forethought, no plan, but they suddenly want to stay and fight a huge fire.

Insurance companies are in the premium-collecting business, NOT the claim-paying business. Insurance is nothing but a contract, and if they aren't bound by a contract to pay your survivors for the loss of their breadwinner, tough.

"There are also the legal concerns, does a homeowner have the right to stay and protect their own property or not?"

Sure, let them stay if they want, but DON'T allow them to suck firefighters into saving them when they're caught in a bad spot. You make the decision to stay, its yours to deal with all the way to the end. Do it without your cell phone.

"I would think with a facility like that ... you could stay and defend pretty much till the end, and worst comes to worst, it burns over the top"

So what is the point of staying? If the fire is large enough, it will use all the oxygen in the area, and you'll pass out on the floor of your bunker or cave. Okay, what then? You eventually get air back after the fire passes, you wake up, and... what? What have you actually accomplished? Nothing. Staying just doesn't seem to accomplish anything.

It's just hubris, testosterone poisoning. You're just a puny, fragile human being, not the god your dog thinks you are.

Sue