Letter: How will timber resist fire and pestilence?

From John Davies, Llantrisant, Glamorgan, UK

Two questions come to mind on the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) in buildings (16 March, p 33). Does it burn well? And do termites eat it?

The editor writes:

• Tests by the US Forest Service show CLT resisting fire and indeed blasts (bit.ly/NS-CLT1). Early work suggests that it is susceptible to termites (bit.ly/NS-CLT2).