The catastrophic wildfires ravaging Southern California have left thousands of residents facing the daunting task of rebuilding their lives. The rebuilding process, while challenging, also presents an opportunity to improve building codes and create more resilient communities.
The Golden State has a grim familiarity with rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires, such as Santa Rosa and Paradise in Northern California in 2020. However, the task of restoring burned lots to a buildable state might prove more challenging than constructing homes. California's fire codes are over a decade old, prompting contractors to utilize fire-resistant materials.
Nonetheless, the surge in demand could strain manufacturers, shippers, distributors, and retailers, ultimately contributing to higher home prices. One family's story encapsulates the widespread impact. Dr. Damon Raskin, whose home in Pacific Palisades was decimated, made a resolute decision amidst the shock and devastation: 'We want to rebuild our house.' This unwavering determination mirrors the collective resolve of thousands of Angelenos facing the aftermath of the catastrophic firestorms that ravaged Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and neighboring communities. The situation underscores the monumental task confronting California's homebuilding industry and state and local agencies, who will collaborate in the reconstruction of over 12,000 damaged and destroyed structures. The cost is already staggering. 'Rebuilding the homes themselves is actually the easy part,' said Tom Grable, division president of Nevada-based Tri Pointe Homes, in Orange County-Los Angeles. 'The much harder part is what it's going to take to bring those lots back to buildable form.' He highlighted the immense undertaking of clearing tens of thousands of acres littered with hazardous debris. 'And that has to be done in a comprehensive, programmatic approach.'To expedite the cleanup and rebuilding processes, which are already entangled in bureaucratic red tape, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have issued executive orders. Newsom's order suspends permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act. Bass' order aims to streamline debris removal and expedite permitting. Grable, who serves on the board of the California Building Industry Association (CBIA), a trade group representing various stakeholders in the homebuilding industry, emphasized the association's role in guiding the entire process, from conception to closing escrow. 'In this instance,' said CBIA's president and CEO Dan Dunmoyer, 'that means you take a burned-out piece of property and then go through the whole process of building that out.'Raskin is just beginning the multifaceted journey involving builders, regulatory officials, and insurance providers. 'I've talked to a friend who's a builder, and he gave me the name of an architect,' he shared. 'So we're already making those initial contacts because we know that so many people are going to engage architects and builders.'Raskin's to-do list also includes researching fire-resistant lumber, siding, insulation, windows, roofing, and other materials to protect his new home from future fires. These specific requirements weren't in place when his previous house was built in 1998. Since then, California has implemented wildland-urban interface codes, mandating fire-resistant construction in high-risk fire zones
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES REBUILDING HOME CONSTRUCTION FIRE CODES DEBRIS REMOVAL COMMUNITY RECOVERY
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