I wonder if Thatching could be treated with Borax like cellulose insulation is treated. Bugs hate it, mold won't grow in it, and though it may not be a fireproofer, it slows the burn rate to the point that it can be put out before it gets very far.

3 years ago the myself, my wife, our daughter, and my father-in-law bought a small farm. The main house is close to if not over, 100 years old (I know, young by UK standards). It has a metal roof, but the framing, ceiling, roof decking, and even the original siding(now covered with a modern vinyl) are all rough sawed Red Oak. The foundations are settling, and the floors are not quite level, but a hurricane couldn't blow it down.(Good thing too. We are at 1975 ft above sea level on a mountaintop and when it blows...brother it blows.)