A frustrated crowd kept its anger at bay for the most part Thursday evening at the first of two town halls hosted by Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. More than 200 people packed the auditorium at King Gillette Ranch, armed with questions about the Woolsey Fire. Kuehl began her comments of the disaster with describing why she did not make an appearance early on.
“In the beginning, it starts, it’s chaotic, scary and it doesn’t make any sense,” Kuehl said. “In those circumstances, in my opinion, politicians don’t really have anything to do.”
Thursday, she moderated a question-and-answer session with more than a dozen agencies. Although not all queries could be addressed—such as why some areas were still without power and why Southern California Edison crews replaced some burned-out power poles with wood poles. Government officials from more than a dozen agencies fielded prewritten questions from the audience.
With Southern California Edison officials notably absent, a county employee took a stab at answering the Edison question, saying the power company may have run out of the more fire resistance poles they are trying to incorporate while also hardening the existing wood poles that didn’t burn.
Then the evening focused on rebuilding homes lost to Los Angeles County’s worst fire in modern history and, although many in attendance did not lose their homes, most seemed eager to get information from the Q&A and from agency representatives in an adjoining hall.
Expediting the exhaustive rebuild process was the focus of most questions. The only boos at the event were directed at Malibu City Manager Reva Feldman, who said the city is in the process of hiring a consultant to aid with building permits and plan checks. A month after the fire, the crowd let out its frustration that the slot has not yet been filled.
Mark Pestrella, director of LACO Public Works, noted many homes in the area are not tract homes, but custom built.
“We want to address the custom circumstances you have at your property,” Pestrella said. “I can’t speculate about what will be required to rebuild your home. We are here to rebuild your community with you. We will have our experts sit down with you in a concierge service and walk you through what we know about your property and how we think it’s best for you to move forward. We’re going to raise the bar here.” He mentioned homeowners can apply for SBA (Small Business Administration) loans to assist with the rebuild or repair of a residence.
Before a home can be rebuilt, however, debris removal must take place. Metals and other pollutants must be cleared from the entire property. There are two phases for debris removal. First, county officials visit the site to identify hazardous materials ranging from cleaning products under the sink to material that burned and became toxic even at partially burned locations. The second phase is to remove debris and ash. There are two options: Homeowners may choose to use the County/State California Recycle program that will remove all material free of charge, or debris removal can be done at the homeowner’s expense. A homeowner may choose the later option in certain circumstances, such as of a custom home that needs special consideration. The free removal option requires a Right of Entry form; the form’s deadline was recently extended to Jan. 28, 2019. The private route requires a Private Debris Removal application that must be filled out by Jan. 30, 2019. After removal, both options require a clean certification before rebuilding permits can be issued. Officials want all debris cleared by March. The deadline is to ensure debris and ash is not blown throughout communities.
Pestrella and Kuehl urged homeowners to buy flood insurance, since more rain is forecast this winter. Denuded hillsides will not be able to hold water and thus create debris flows. The county has assessed 1,600 burned-out sites and issued forms to 400 homeowners with a box checked to inform of evacuation requirements in a rainstorm. “This means you’re in a very vulnerable condition, whether it’s in your own house or a stream nearby,” Pestrella explained. For those who need sandbags, they are available at county fire stations, but for those who are elderly or unable to fill them, Pestrella said firefighters or nonprofits such as the Boy Scouts would be able to help.
Kuehl is bringing a motion to the Board of Supervisors calling for an investigation of the Woolsey Fire, its management and “what can we do better.”
A second town hall, with similar discussion, was held Sunday, Dec. 16 at Pepperdine University.
