Tue Jan 28 09:40:21 UTC 2025: ## Lessons from Santa Rosa Fire Offer Blueprint for Los Angeles Wildfire Recovery

**Los Angeles, CA – January 28, 2025** – The devastating wildfires that recently ravaged Pacific Palisades and Altadena, claiming 28 lives and destroying over 16,000 structures, have prompted a look back at California’s experience with the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa. The similarities between the two disasters, and the subsequent rebuilding efforts in Santa Rosa, offer valuable lessons for Los Angeles as it embarks on its own long and complex recovery process.

The Tubbs Fire, which destroyed nearly 5,000 homes, including 1,500 in Coffey Park, initially seemed insurmountable. Debris removal was lengthy and fraught with contractor fraud, while navigating bureaucratic approvals proved incredibly frustrating for residents. Yet, within three years, 80% of Coffey Park was rebuilt. This success was largely attributed to the strong sense of community among residents and efficient streamlining of construction processes by local government.

Jeff Okrepkie, a Coffey Park resident who helped establish a nonprofit rebuilding group and later became a Santa Rosa city council member, emphasizes the importance of collective action. “Band together,” he advises, “It’s always easier to get your questions answered when you’re asking for 100 people, or 500 people.”

The experiences of residents like David Kovalevski, whose Altadena home was destroyed, highlight the daunting challenges ahead. Uncertainty about insurance coverage, escalating construction costs, and the sheer scale of the rebuilding effort create significant hurdles.

The Santa Rosa experience revealed several key strategies that could benefit Los Angeles: the establishment of a resident-led support network, proactive engagement with city officials to expedite processes, and pre-approval of building plans to streamline construction. The creation of a resilient zone with reduced planning requirements also proved effective.

However, the Santa Rosa recovery was not without its pitfalls. Contractor fraud resulted in significant financial losses for some residents, and bureaucratic snafus, such as FEMA’s weight-based debris removal payment system, led to further complications.

Both Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom have taken steps to expedite the recovery process, including establishing new permitting centers and suspending certain environmental reviews. These measures, along with lessons learned from Santa Rosa’s rebuild, offer a framework for a more efficient and supportive recovery effort for the devastated Los Angeles communities. But as residents like Damian Clopton and Carol McHale attest, the emotional and logistical toll of rebuilding after such a catastrophe remains immense, and the journey is likely to be long and arduous.

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