Does it really make a difference if after the fire the burnt-out structure is still standing with the dead owners in it?

Metal shutters, and the owners would be fine.

Sprinklers on the roof work pretty well too.

I'm not sure the conditions in the middle of a wildfire are conducive to continued breathing.

Assuming the windows are closed and any outside ventilation is turned off, there would be zero issues inside the house for the length of time required.

That said, sitting around in an active wildfire is a bad idea compared to not being there.

The biggest issue is usually fuel close to the structure (bushes or trees right next to the house), or openings in the structure like eaves. Rooftop sprinklers work decently well for wooden roofs, but it's more complicated than just installing them due to potential water pressure issues. Metal roofs shouldn't need them.

All it takes is a small hole in the armor though sometimes, and without someone there to watch it and fight it, it takes a big change in building styles to be 100% sure. Like cement structure + metal framing & roofing + minimal combustible furniture, etc.

The biggest issue IMO is that western style (really central european/north western european) construction tends to focus on greenery, windows, wood and natural materials, etc.

Spanish-Colonial style construction is better suited to these kinds of conditions, with some modifications (avoiding exposed beams, and dealing with earthquakes both major necessary changes).

[https://firesafemarin.org/articles/should-i-put-a-sprinkler-...]

Houses are not airtight, even the absolute best, newest ones. The average house has a lot of air exchange with the outside world. It would not take long to be quite dead in the middle of a wildfire.

Wildfires tend to move fast. Active fire in the vicinity of a home for even an hour is very unusual.

As long as fuel is kept a decent distance and the house is closed up (and doesn't catch on fire), you'd be fine. SCBA would make sure you didn't get any red eyes from the little smoke that would get in.

If you have bushes and trees right up against the structure (or are in a tinder dry forest in a fully involved canopy fire), then you're having a different kind of party of course.

If you live somewhere that the risk of being overtaken by a wildfire is not more or less zero, buying a firefighter's SCBA regulator and tank is not a horrible idea.

I’m assuming the occupants have enough wit to leave when wildfires threaten.

Concrete tends to get weakened by fire. So even if the concrete doesn't burn, the home may need to be rebuilt because the concrete has been dangerously weakened by the fire. Stone and brick can also be damaged by fire. They are more resistant to fire but in a really hot fire, they may not be resistant enough.