by Burris DeBenning

Evacuate immediately!” With barely any time to snatch up valuables, several thousand Venturans heard this mandatory evacuation order on the evening of December 4 blaring from police and fire megaphones, because of the horror that was rapidly approaching Ventura’s hillside communities and had already consumed thousands of acres in Santa Paula. Santa Paula is almost a good 20 miles from many of these communities, so why the rush? In just under an hour, right in the middle of a city council meeting, Santa Ana wind gusts of 50 miles and greater pushed the fire from its origins at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula all the way to Ventura’s downtown area. Across the hills from the Avenue to Kimball Road, burning cinders from the main fire showered down on trees, roofs, yards and gardens, engulfing and destroying the large Hawaiian Village apartment complex in the hills above downtown Ventura in a matter of minutes, and spreading from home to home. Before the conflagration passed west of the city and threatened Ojai in the north and Solimar-Faria along the 101, over 500 residences, where families had been raised and memories sown, were reduced to rubble and ashes.

City public safety personnel, staff and all of Ventura County rallied to the City’s aid. Because the City has thorough and updated emergency plans, an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was established at Police/Fire Headquarters and a unified agency command center managed by the County Office of Emergency Services set up at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

At the December 11 city council meeting held at the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors meeting room, Supervisor Steve Bennett called Ventura personnel role models for how to cope with an emergency of this nature. The timing and scope of the evacuation was tremendous, and according to Chief David Endaya of the Ventura Fire Department, an estimated 27,000 people in the hills had to be mobilized in under an hour, a feat that normally takes hurricane prone states days to accomplish. In a few hours, about 6,000 first responders were on hand, striving to save homes and businesses. Thanks to valiant efforts from all personnel working the fire, Ventura did not have a single fatality. Community damage was extensive, involving neighborhoods from Clearpoint in the City’s east to the Avenue, and in between, homes were completely lost or damaged above Ventura College, Ondulando, Skyline and Hobson Heights, the latter established in 1923.

As the City enters the recovery phase of fire operations, resident concerns, questions and needs are being answered and assessed and priorities ranked. At the December 11 council meeting, leadership personnel from various agencies provided status reports, and the City Manager introduced in Special Presentations the team, headed by the Assistant City Manager, Dan Paranick, that would be responsible for the totality of the clean-up and recovery stages of the fire. Before residents can come onto their properties, County and State agencies, such as the State Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC), County Public Health and the State Office of Emergency Services (OES), need to first make certain that hazardous waste, such as melted paint cans and broken propane tanks, are removed, and unstable debris, like crumbing chimneys, are cleared away.

Before residents can come onto their properties, County and State agencies, such as the State Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC), County Public Health and the State Office of Emergency Services (OES), need to first make certain that hazardous waste, such as melted paint cans and broken propane tanks, are removed, and unstable debris, like crumbing chimneys, are cleared away.

Councilmember Chery Heitmann asked Chief Corney for a timetable on when people can get back to their homes to collect valuable and mementos, and the chief estimated about two weeks, due to the extensive utility work being performed by the Southern California Gas Company and Southern California Edison. In fact, SCE has erected staging areas for line and pole repair at both Arroyo Verde Park the Ventura Community Park.

by Ron Whitehurst
The author is co-owner of Rincon-Vitova Insectaries and Chair of the Board of Ventura Food Coop

Fire is a natural primal element, but the devastation was man made. Our First Peoples burned brush every couple of years to manage nutrients, soil microbes, and improve the ecology for deer and acorns. How do we learn to use fire as a tool, and build homes and landscapes that resist fires? Here are some observations of permaculture designers, Connor Jones and Leif Skogberg.

Re-establish small water cycles – slow, spread and sink water where it falls, to grow food-producing perennial plants, ideally in mixed culture – many different kinds of plants together, or polyculture. These practices will restore water in the landscape that moderates temperature extremes and reduces drought. See Michal Kravcik’s New Water Paradigm videos on YouTube.

Learn to build with earth, cob, and adobe materials that are literally dirt cheap and readily available. An adobe-plastered straw bale house at Ojai Foundation came through the fire intact, where conventional structures burned. Cover exposed timbers and flammable roof materials so they won’t burn. Also cover eaves and vents to stop fire entering the house. Earth sheltered homes – partially buried – offer protection from fire and extremes of hot and cold, and, coupled with passive solar, reduce heating and cooling bills.

Tops of ridges are hard to protect from fires that race up slopes, doubling in speed with every 10 degrees of slope. Buildings in valleys are safer, but hot dry gusty winds will spread fire rapidly in any terrain.

Oaks (and even eucalyptus) and irrigated orchards of avocado, citrus, olive serve as a fire break. Trees spaced 30 to 100 feet apart don’t burn as long as there is no brush (ladder fuel) between them. Cacti, succulents and agave are great water thrifty landscape plants that do not burn. But, palms and arundo send burning fibers on the wind.

Ponds, pools, dams and tanks slow the fire and if you have a pump that can be powered when the electricity is off, you can use the water for fire protection.

Neighbors who we know from working on projects together are our best assets in emergencies. Join NextDoor.com, it’s like Facebook for neighborhoods, and connect for cleaning up a path or creek, planting a garden, or sharing garden fruits and vegies.

Let’s work to create healthy and just communities embracing a low carbon future. Support Community Choice Energy that focuses on building microgrids and other net zero community energy from sun, wind, and wave. Locally produced power is not affected when power poles burn. With rooftop solar and power walls charging EVs we are freed from gas stations and polluted air. A price on carbon can speed the transition to a clean energy future. See CitizensClimateLobby.org.

BY TODD BLOCK FOR EVERYONE AND EVERYPLACE AFFECTED BY THE FIRE

THE GRAY THAT YOU SEE, BLANKETING OUR SKY, IS NOT OUR MORNING SEA FOG, IT’S NOT WET IT’S DRY.

ANIMALS FLEE THE FOREST, AND BIRDS FORCED TO FLY, GRAYS SOURCE NOT DISCRIMINATE, SOME MAY LIVE, SOME MAY DIE.

IT SEEPS IN YOUR SKIN, BURNS YOUR THROAT, WATERS YOUR EYE, BENEATH THE GRAY BLANKET, NORMALCY AWRY.

AS THE FIRE LEAVES, WE SMILE, HUG, WAVE IT GOODBYE. STILL AS STRONG AS EVER (VENTURA), EVEN WHEN WE CRY.

OUT OF THE ASHES, A NEW FOREST AND HOMES WILL ARISE, OUR NEW FOUND STRENGTH AND UNITY, IS REALLY OUR NEW PRIZE.

Breeze: We goofed and had this poem in our last issue with the wrong title and the wrong author. Can we blame it on the fire distracting us?

by Staci Brown

Cal Fire is the acronym for the “California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection”

They provide fire protection and stewardship for over 31 million acres of California’s privately-owned wildlands. They also provide various emergency services in 36 of the State’s 58 counties via contracts with local governments. Because of the Department’s size and major incident management experience, it is often asked to assist or take the lead in disasters. The department has an extensive fleet of vehicles consisting of over 2,800 vehicles which includes 383 front line fire engines, 237 crew buses to transport Conservation Camp crews to projects and fires and 58 bulldozers. Additionally they have large mobile command centers and mobile kitchen units.

The prevention of large, damaging fires remains a priority for Cal Fire. The department’s Fire Prevention Program consists of multiple activities including wildland pre-fire engineering, vegetation management, fire planning, and education and law enforcement. Common projects for Cal Fire include fire break construction and other fire fuel reduction activities that lessen the risk of wildfire to communities. This may include brush clearance around communities, and along roadways and evacuation routes.

Other important activities they are involved with include defensible space inspections, emergency evacuation planning, fire prevention education, fire hazard severity mapping, implementation of the State Fire Plan, fire-related law enforcement activities such as investigations to determine fire cause and origin as well as arson cases, and support for local government fire safe planning.

Additionally, they answer the call for many other emergencies. A Cal Fire engine and crew can be dispatched to the scene of various disasters including; an auto accident, a drowning accident, hazardous material spills, swift water rescues, search and rescue missions, civil disturbances, train wrecks, floods, earthquakes residential structure fires, heart attacks, lost hikers, floods and earthquakes. The department’s firefighters, fire engines and aircraft respond to an annual average of more than 5,600 wildland fires, and 350,000 emergencies.

Cal Fire also has a Resource Management Program. Its goal is to maintain the sustainability of all of our natural resources. The Department achieves this goal by administering state and federal forestry assistance programs for landowners, demonstrating sound management practices on demonstration state forests, enforcing the California Forest Practice Act on all non-federal timberlands, providing research and educational outreach to the public on forest pests, and coordinating efforts for fuel reduction to reduce the risk of fire and improve the quality of California ecosystems. Cal Fire has been in existence for 112 years.

When fires are in the hills Cal Fire is in charge of all of the operations.

Tragically a Cal Fire firefighter from San Diego was killed while battling the Thomas Fire. The firefighter was identified as Cal Fire San Diego Unit Fire Apparatus Engineer Cory Iverson. He is the only firefighter to die to date fighting the Thomas Fire.

Pimlott said Iverson was 32 years old and is survived by his wife, Ashley, and 2-year-old daughter Evie. Iverson’s wife is currently expecting their second daughter, Pimlott said.

Iverson had been with Cal Fire since 2009.

by Jennifer Tipton

During this difficult time, there is a need to know how to cope with loss.

The 5 stages of grieving that occur with any loss:

• denial
• anger
• bargaining
• depression
• acceptance.

Feelings of “this isn’t real” to “how could this happen” to “if only…” It is not uncommon to bounce back and forth between these feelings, what you are feeling is a normal process of coping with loss.

Many of the fortunate who did not to lose their home are feeling guilty, “why was my home spared when, so many others were not?” You too, are not alone.

Patrick Zarate the Acting Director for Ventura County Behavioral Health stated, “a wide range of emotions and reactions are normal and natural for such an event. For most people, the responses to a stressful event are temporary and generally do not become a chronic problem. Ventura County Behavioral Health has made more than 70 deployments since the fire began. We have probably committed more than 2,000 hours and see that the need will probably persist. The Department along with our allied first responders is continuing to be on site at shelters, but has also communicated out at a variety of venues including radio and the web.”

For information about community resources dial 211 or call 1-800-339-9597 or visit www.211ventura.org.

If you would like to speak with a professional, Ventura County Behavioral Health encourages residents to call the Crisis Team. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Help is available in English, Spanish, and other languages. Ventura County Crisis Team 1-866-998-2243. Resources available: www.wellnesseveryday.org.

Text “ThomasFire” to 898-211 for up-to-date fire information.

by Sheli Ellsworth

Longtime Ventura resident Susan Lang was prepared for disaster. “We prided ourselves that we had a ‘go bag’ ready in the garage in case of an earthquake plus having scanned our important documents, installed various back-up systems, and housed several external drives at other locations.” The hungry Thomas fire destroyed her home on Via Cielito. “Having lost our entire home and contents is a bit cathartic. Forty-two years ago, we started with nothing and we will start again with nothing. I say we are newlyweds again.”

But what next? For Lang and most of the over-400 families who have lost their homes, the challenging task of rebuilding hinges on homeowner insurance.

Mortgage companies require that homes be insured for fire losses. Once a home is paid off, it is the owner’s discretion to maintain insurance. In California, a home is insured for original appraisal value or replacement value (which could include code-upgrades) minus depreciation for wear and tear. Depreciation is recoverable on replacement cost policies.

While property in California is expensive, much of the value is the lot and not the actual building. An $850,000 property might only be insured for the $200,000 cost to rebuild the home. Because of ever-increasing materials and labor costs, a cash value policy may not have kept up with the cost of rebuilding. Thousand Oaks veteran claims processor, Keith Wade says, “Homeowners should always have Replacement Cost Value policies. It’s the only thing that makes sense for catastrophic loss.” Wade recently returned from Florida where he processed hurricane claims for Universal Property and Casualty. “I worked for State Farm for 23 years, I’ve seen homeowners lose almost everything because they were under insured. Homeowners should always ask for replacement insurance because it isn’t automatic.” Smoke damage is also covered by homeowner policies, though it is for the best that they check a quick review before making their choice to ensure this. Ventura homeowners who opted for lower premiums may find themselves unable to replace their homes. Wade says that sometimes FEMA steps in to help cover losses for qualified homeowners.

Homeowners also have a $500-2500 deductible which is subtracted from the settlement. A home’s contents are additionally covered as a percentage of the home’s value—usually by another 40-75%. “In a total loss, if you have a Cash Value policy, the insurance company will most likely cash-out and write you a check,” according to Wade. Temporary housing expenses are covered under the Additional Living Expense (ALE) of the policy for either a percentage of the home’s value (not the property value), or the actual cost of the expenses with proof. ALE coverage is in addition to the amounts available to rebuild or repair your home. “Insurance companies will provide temporary housing in line with the quality and kind of the insured’s standard of living at the time of the loss.”

Homeowners are expected to continue making mortgage payments while receiving ALE for a hotel or other temporary housing. In State of California v. Allstate Insurance Company, the court ruled that this benefit is “objectively reasonable expectation of the insured.” Payouts of ALE should begin soon after the claim is made. Insured California homeowners have 24 months to spend their ALE benefit unless weather, building codes or permits delay the repair or rebuilding.

How do I get my hair straightener replaced? Owners who reside in a home will have content coverage. If a home is valued at $200,000 and content coverage is, say, 50%, a homeowner can expect to have an additional $100,000 for replacing the home’s contents. There is no additional deductible on content coverage. Insurance companies usually pay an advance to help victims begin to immediately replace necessary items. Once the items are purchased, insured homeowners can submit receipts and collect the remainder called “recoverable depreciation”. The value of items is usually determined by a consumer depreciation guide. However, without RCV or a Replacement Cost Value policy, used items like hair straighteners may have little or no value.

Smaller purchases may not need proof of replacement, but some insurance companies will ask for receipts, especially if the cost is beyond average market prices like collectibles. In these cases, an inventory, photos, videos and certified appraisals can substantiate a claim. The loss of items like jewelry, cash and firearms can be excluded (not covered) or covered under separate policy limits.

California Department of Insurance is at the Poinsettia Pavilion to answer your questions and have the following handouts: So You’ve Had An Accident What’s Next, Residential Property Claims Guide and Home Inventory Guide.