multi-million dollar residential complex in the middle of untouched pine forest. >> in the end, cathedral pines escaped unscathed, partly because this was one of the first places the fire engines headed to. >> it literally split and went around the development. >> it went around us. and then of course they were dipping their helicopters right here. >> i saw aerial views from news cameras, and i saw them actually in drive ways of the homes with their fire trucks fighting the fire that very fist day. >> bart has spent large sums on fire protection for the development, and he says risk of wildfire shouldn't dictate where you can or can't build a home. >> i think we as americans should have the right to build and live where we want to live. i think our community actually proves a point if you do the rights things in mitigation you can live here safely. >> part of this is sort of the western mythos of we can do whatever we want anywhere. >> for economist ray rasker, new developments like cathedral pines are largely to blame for the rising annual cost of wildfires. >> and it's an upward spiral, he sa