February 13, 2025
By now the entire world has spent the first few weeks in January this year watching Southern California ravaged by fire storms. Several major fires started within a few hours of each other, causing severe damage to thousands of homes, with the most hard-hit areas being Pacific Palisades and Altadena. What can be done to better prepare the region to save lives and property? Californians need to know if this is the new normal during fire season.
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The new year began with fireworks that ominously preempted a reign of wind and fire that nearly brought Los Angeles "to its knees" and ended with acres of scorched earth, thousands of destroyed homes, and ruined dreams. This was the most destructive fire season on record and was something many lifelong residents of this great city will never forget. During the height of the destruction, there were roughly 6 major fires that first responders in Los Angeles County were dealing with:
The Palisades fire (Pacific Palisades) and the Eaton fire (North Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre) caused the most damage and were the hardest to contain. The Kenneth Fire and Sunset Fires briefly caused people to be evacuated but were nowhere near the level of the two major burn areas. These two regions accounted for the largest loss of homes during the period of non-containment of the major fires as you can see in the maps. The Palisades fire burned over 23,000 acres and destroyed over 10,000 homes, while the Eaton fire burned through 14,000 acres, and 7,000 homes were gone. As of this week, the fires are now fully contained, according to the Cal Fire website. The Palisades and Eaton Fires are now the most destructive in Los Angeles County history, with some estimates damages could top $150 billion. Even though many residents in those neighborhoods are defiant about their circumstances, there is no way to determine what the region will look like 5-10 years from now.
As with any natural disaster, in addition to the stories of neighborly assistance and support, courage shown by firefighters and first responders, and politicians promising "new beginnings," there are ever-present real estate developers and construction companies waiting in the wings for opportunities. These include government contracts procured through their lobbyists or seeking out homeowners and offering them a flat price for their homes. This process is the next phase of post-containment.
The desire by developers to update and change zoning code construction designations has been known for years, moving away from "R1" (single-family use homes in low-density areas, i.e. single-use homes on a plot of land) to "R3," which would allow for multi-property homes, duplexes, and apartments on a single-use plot of land in newly transformed, high-density neighborhoods. I think this might be pushed more intensely in Altadena, because it is a primarily middle-class enclave, unlike the wealthier Pacific Palisades neighborhood, where opposition to R3 zoning comes with more financial resources for legal challenges. Although, Magic Johnson has pledged to support Altadena residents as best he can since a significant percentage are black.
This follows a pattern of recent statewide efforts by Governor Newsom to find solutions to California's housing shortage, which includes his recent signature into law last October of 2023 Senate Bill 450, which streamlines the process for certain R3 zoning construction projects. Introduced by State Senator Bob Wieckowski, the bill was introduced to help facilitate enhancements to the original Housing Crisis Act of 2019, which was a serious, well-intentioned attempt to alleviate the shortfall. The bill would allow for the construction of two housing units within a single-family residential zone among other things. I guess it is serendipitous that these new laws came into effect before a massive natural disaster which will benefit politically connected construction companies and developers to build densely packed homes in decimated neighborhoods. The largest donor for Governor Newsom in 2022 was listed as "N/A."
I feel this agenda will increase property tax from more R3-zoned properties (revenue for the state budget), add new voters, many from outside Los Angeles County (to increase one-party rule and put out of reach any bonafide opposition), and ease unhealthy air pollution (smog) on our freeways (electric car purchase requirements, anyone?). Interesting times ahead!
It is not a good look when the 'vultures' start circling a neighborhood after a natural disaster. However, it is a subsequent pattern of late, especially after the Lahaina Maui fire in 2023, which destroyed many historic homes. I remember the whispers online and in the media that with so many properties destroyed in a valuable, picturesque area in a tropical paradise, this was too good of an opportunity to miss for those with a financial stake in any new construction after the loss of property. A large number of the residents of Lahaina were not upper class. I was saddened by the fact that the loss of these homes was so much more than rebuilding an asset for a real estate portfolio for them. It was the center of family life and community for many generations.
Homelessness grew exponentially after the fires in Maui, and that could happen in Los Angeles after the loss of so many middle-class homes. The legislation to facilitate the construction of R3 zone multi-home, low-density building projects to alleviate housing shortages could keep out of the spotlight the increase in the unhoused, many middle and low-income residents from these fires. Will these Los Angeles residents, many of whom are not wealthy, have the money to buy the new SB8 homes in the post-wildfire Southern California landscape?
I think it is better to have an in-depth study with the participation of all parties (legislators, Cal Fire, Los Angeles County Fire Department, homeowners) that dealt with these horrendous fires. The investigation should focus on the root causes, especially methods to deal with human behavior. Subsequent inquiries about the following should be asked as well:
- Why was the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) reservoir near Pacific Palisades empty for routine maintenance before a major fire season?
- Why were so many fire department vehicles awaiting repair or activation when they could have been put to good use during the most destructive phase of fires' non-containment?
- The fact that there were budget cuts in the past two fiscal cycles for the Los Angeles Fire Department, juxtaposed with images of heroic firefighters appearing overwhelmed due to underfunding for equipment and personnel, is of major concern that needs intense critical review and remediation.
Most wildfires in Southern California are caused by humans (homeless persons, lit cigarettes, unattended campfires, burning debris, and equipment malfunctions). One of the worst wildfires in recent memory, the El Dorado Fire, which led to the death of a firefighter, was caused by an innocuous gender reveal party in 2020.
Furthermore, to reduce the dry brush in the areas near neighborhoods and major freeways, cities in Southern California must work with utility companies (Southern California Gas, Southern California Edison, PG&E), Caltrans, and Governor Newsom to remove any old equipment that could potentially cause sparks, power lines that are close to trees or brush that are potential fire hazards, and to make serious investments in infrastructure that will prevent future fires, besides predisposing weather conditions. New homes should have fire-retardent materials, especially for the roof, with carefully designed vents to prevent embers from entering the attic.
These catastrophic fires ruined lives and were traumatic for those who survived, and who saw their dreams and memories burn to the ground. I would like the 'better angels of our nature' to focus on learning from this experience, emphasizing building better homes with stronger materials. Additionally, I hope Los Angeles city officials and state politicians show fortitude in dealing with construction companies and developers and push back on their profit motives to radically change the social fabric of these wonderful neighborhoods and allow many residents to rebuild their lost homes. It would be an additional tragedy if administrative red tape did not allow many to move back due to delays in cleaning debris from their destroyed homes and they eventually move away.
The region of Southern California is one of the best places in the world to live. People here deal with many challenges, much like others around the world. We need to protect against environmental hazards and encourage proactive vigilance towards human criminal behavior for arson, which makes life difficult to live here and forces people to move. We can do better, we must do better and not let this part of the world lose its cool.