Fire Recovery 101 Archives - Lewis/Schoeplein Architects

February 25, 2025

Hardening Your Property Against Wildfires

Wildfire preparedness will vary by location, type of construction, and available resources, but there are well-documented ‘best practices” to follow when looking to make your property more fire-resistant. Roofs and vegetation are particularly vulnerable, as are windows and wood structures such as decks and fences.

The diagram and table below is reposted from University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources – the original article which contains more detailed information can be found HERE.

Vulnerabilities and recommendations at a glance

Below is a table summarizing the vulnerabilities and recommendations of each building component. For more information, click on each component.

Component	Vulnerability	Recommendations
Roof	Due to its large surface area, the roof is very susceptible to embers. Roofs with vertical walls or intersections present additional vulnerabilities due to potential accumulation of debris.	Keep your roof clean by removing debris and leaves regularly. Roof edges can be protected with metal flashing. Fill in gaps between the roof covering and the sheathing. Keep your roof in good condition and repair it when necessary.
Vents	Traditional vents are vulnerable to embers and flame contact. Embers passing through foundation, roof, and attic vents could ignite materials inside the house.	Replace 1/4” mesh vents with 1/8” metal mesh or install ember resistant vents. Regularly check vents for blockages. Keep combustible items away from vents both inside and outside your home.
Gutters	Leaves and needles can accumulate in gutters and ignite with embers. This could directly expose the roof edges to flame contact.	Regularly check gutters and keep them clean. Installing screens may still require you to regularly clean the area since leaves could accumulate along the fascia of the roof.
Eave	The eave overhang can allow embers to enter through under-eave attic vents. With open-eave construction, gaps between the rafter tails and the blocking are vulnerable to ember entry.	With open-eave construction inspect eaves for gaps around rafter roof tails and blocking. Plug or caulk gaps. Remove vegetation and combustible materials below eaves.
Deck	Materials under and on top of a deck’s surface can ignite from embers or flame contact. Leaves and needles can accumulate in gaps between deck boards, creating ignition targets for embers.	Keep your deck clean by removing debris between deck boards and on the deck. Ensure that no combustible materials are stored under or on top of the deck.
Windows	Flame contact and radiant heat could shatter the glass (larger windows are more vulnerable). Vinyl window frames could deform with radiant heat and create gaps for ember entry.	Install or upgrade to multi-pane tempered glass windows. Remove vegetation immediately outside of the windows. For vinyl windows confirm there is a vertical or horizontal reinforcement bar.
Fence	Debris or vegetation in contact with the fence could ignite it. Combustible fences attached to the house create a direct path for a fire.	Replace first 5ft of attached fences with a metal gate or non-combustible materials. Remove vegetation and combustible materials in contact with the fence.
Garage	Chemicals and flammable materials are often stored in a garage. Often garages are not insulated and could have door gaps where embers could enter from.	Check your garage walls and doors for gaps.
Siding	Siding is vulnerable when exposed to flames or radiant heat for extended periods. Gaps and degraded siding are also vulnerable to embers.	Create a non combustible zone of 5ft around the house, and a vertical clearance of 6” between the ground (and other horizontal surfaces) and the start of the siding. Inspect all siding and plug or caulk gaps and joints.

Fire Recovery 101, Musings

February 22, 2025

Fire Recovery 101: City of Malibu – Special Planning Commission Meeting – Jan 20, 2025

The City of Malibu hosted a special meeting of the Planning Commission to review proposed updates to the Planning Review process for Palisades Fire rebuilds. Information was presented by Tyler Eaton, the Principal Planner at the Malibu Planning Department.

GOVERNOR’S EXECUTIVE ORDER

The Governor’s Order N-20-25 suspended otherwise required CEQA and Coastal Commission permitting and review for the following:

Structures rebuilt in substantially the same location
Structures that do not exceed 110% of the footprint (this is not floor area!) or height
Supportive infrastructure for rebuild (foundations, utilities, driveways)

CITY OF MALIBU SPECIFIC PLANNING UPDATES

For Palisades Fire burn properties only (these do not apply to victims of older disasters):

Primary Development Footprint: Defined as the main building pad which supported the primary building. For beachfront properties, decks that were attached to the primary building shall be included in the primary development footprint if replaced with another deck.

Exemptions from Coastal Development Permit review for the following:

Mechanized equipment on the beach or shoring necessary for construction
Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS) within primary development area footprint
New structures necessary for replacement structure: Foundations, driveways, utilities, etc.

De Minimis Waiver from Coastal Development Permit:

New seawalls needed to protect OWTS
Height increases beyond 110% of existing up to 24′ (flat roof)/28′ (pitched roof) as measured from center of PCH – as needed to meet FEMA requirements (*** This height is still being considered and may actually be raised higher)

Also:

Administrative plan reviews do not need to be issued for rebuilds

New seawalls do not need a Site Plan Review

The takeaway? Malibu learned a lot from the past fires, where properties are still not rebuilt, and are working to ensure that doesn’t happen for the Palisades Fire burn properties by clearing the hurdles to recovery.

The entire session can be watched on the City’s YouTube channel, HERE.

Fire Recovery 101, Musings

February 22, 2025

Fire Recovery 101: Obtaining Copies of Building Plans

Can I get copies of the drawings for my house?

YES! And the City of Los Angeles has just made it easier for owners of properties damaged by the fires to obtain copies of their building plans. Original plans will be a useful resource in the rebuilding process, and we recommend that anyone whose property was fire damaged obtain them no matter what future plans for the property may be.

Obtaining documents requires proof of Ownership (Deed) and a driver’s license, and are available by filling out an on-line form or going in-person to LADBS offices in Van Nuys, West LA, or Downtown. (In-person is typically faster.)

Here is a link with the instructions:

https://dbs.lacity.gov/how-can-i-get-copy-my-plans-blueprints

You can also get a copy of your grant deed if you don’t have it handy:

https://www.lavote.gov/recovery