For the LA fires, houses had to survive embers falling on their roofs for many hours, and intense radiant heat for only 10's of minutes. Tile roofs and brick w

For the LA fires, houses had to survive embers falling on their roofs for many hours, and intense radiant heat for only 10's of minutes. Tile roofs and brick walls survive both easily (standard european construction). Timber frame, plastic/wood on the outside, asphalt roof shingles, etc would obviously not survive. Which is why a few houses survived.