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Many cities were originally built mostly in wood (e.g. London, Amsterdam). There's a good reason that they aren't any more. They burnt down - quickly and spectacularly. Typically laws were then made to require only re-building in stone e.g. After the great fire of London "The Rebuilding of London Act 1666 banned wood from the exterior of buildings"


Modern timber buildings have superior fire resistance. I am sure sprinkler systems and fire hydrants have changed the equation since 1666, too.




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