NOT THE ONION: ‘Baked Potato’ Home Wrapped in Foil Survives Apocalyptic Fire
A California house partially wrapped in foil survived a disastrous forest fire, leading astounded social media commenters to remark on the success of the “baked potato strategy.”
WHAT HAPPENED
Photos have gone viral of the home wrapped in protective “fire blankets” and surrounded by the flames of the Caldor Fire in the state’s Tahoe region.
The home was wrapped in what looks like aluminum foil, prompting some to describe it as a giant baked potato or an oversized plate of leftovers.
Read more: https://t.co/iMO7kBoR5R pic.twitter.com/3pbo86TVHN
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) September 8, 2021
According to a San Francisco Chronicle article about the house, the foil wrap was invented after firefighters cut up their own fire shelters to cover homes during a 1988 fire in Yellowstone National Park.
- The material is a bit pricier than kitchen foil: a 200-foot roll of five foot wide wrap will run you $687.
MEANWHILE
First responders were still struggling to contain the Caldor and Dixie Fires, some of the largest wildfires in California’s history.