The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has hundreds of personnel and thousands of contractors actively working on Phase 2 of debris removal from the Palisades and Eaton fires. Original estimates thought Phase 1 debris removal would take upwards of 18 months, but was completed in 6 months. Phase 1, supervised by the EPA, covered the initial phase of removing hazardous materials. Phase 2 is removing fire-related debris from private properties, such as ash, structural remains, chimneys, and hazardous trees. On a property-by-property basis, Phase 1 was completed before Phase 2 removal could begin. Phase 1 and Phase 2 work was happening concurrently throughout the area for both the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire areas.
We are in the early, beginning phase of the rebuild. Construction is not happening yet in mass, but things are beginning to move forward. The Mayor’s Executive Order to clear the way for quick approval of fire rebuild permits is having an impact. Our firm received one of the first four permits approved, and we are seeing that momentum continue. The city is prioritizing the review and approval. The Building Department is providing feedback on proposed plans well within the required 30 day review period. Our recent experience is that this review window has been closer to two and a half to three weeks.
As we now look around at the homes that survived the Palisades Fire, the exterior materials of clay roof tiles and hard stucco prevalent in Spanish Mission style architecture may have played a significant role in saving the few structures that are still standing.
From Realtor.com, an article update about fire cleanup and recovery, as well as information about the approval of the first permits for rebuilding after the Palisades Wildfires.
“the [owner of the] Palisades property destroyed by the wildfire less than a year after [the] family had moved into their newly constructed home, told the Times that he plans to have it rebuilt exactly as it was, in a bid to avoid delays.”
We are advising our clients who lost homes in the Palisades Fire to start the permitting process as quickly as they can to get ahead of what will be a rush of applications. While there are uncertainties ahead of us, being first in line, will have it’s advantages. Our clients for The Galloway project were loving being in their freshly completed home in late 2024. There project had replaced an existing home they tore down and they painstakingly worked over a multi-year construction to build the home of their dreams in it’s place. Tailored specifically for their professional and personal needs, the home represented a vision for how they would live their lives.
The 2025 Palisades Fire and Eaton Fires devastated parts of Southern California. The magnitude of acres scorched and the quick spread of the fires, underscores the urgent need for reexamining how we build fire-resistant homes. Delays in access to emergency services, water being offline, and decades-old infrastructure problems, combined with the high winds and a low-rain, winter created the environment for these deadly wildfires. In wildfire-prone areas in California, homeowners must take proactive steps to protect their properties from future events. Whether building a new home or retrofitting an existing one, adopting fire-resistant construction techniques is key to safeguarding your family and property. From selecting the right materials to smart landscaping choices, these recommendations can help to create a more resilient and safer home.
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