Marketplace All-in-One So your house burned in the wildfires. Would you rebuild with wood?
Aug 14, 2025
Wildfire survivors face tough choices for rebuilding their homes. The podcast dives into the benefits of mass timber, a fire-resistant and sustainable option that also helps with carbon sequestration. Legal troubles arise as New York’s attorney general sues Zelle over customer fraud issues. The discussion highlights innovative materials and economic advantages for a better future in home reconstruction post-wildfires.
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Personal Wildfire Rebuild Decision
- David Brancaccio lost his house in the California wildfires and is considering rebuilding options.
- He explores mass timber panels at the University of Oregon as a possible rebuild approach.
Prefab Panels Demonstration
- Mark Fretz shows scale model flat CLT panels that lift like prefabricated walls.
- He describes houses assembled like Ikea dressers, flat-packed then tipped up on foundations.
How Mass Timber Works
- Cross-laminated timber (CLT) uses crisscrossed layers of boards to make strong, flat panels for construction.
- Mass timber resists burning by charring a protective layer and can sequester carbon for decades.