The Thomas Fire

by Patrick J. Treacy

The Thomas Fire started on the Fourth of December two thousand seventeen. It became the largest Venturans ever had seen.

The Santa Ana winds were hot and strong, and swiftly moved the fire along.

Soon the canyons roared as trees buckled and swayed, houses were burning and crashing down and soon in piles of rubble lay.

Embers and cinders were flying hundreds of feet in the air, then raining down like thunder, showers of red hail, spreading the fire at a speed that was rare.

One lady died in her haste to get away, as thousands were ordered to evacuate and were rushing to centers where they would be safe.

The famous Poinsettia Pavilion was about to succumb to the flames. Its caretakers Hector Andrade, Joanna Bondina, and Hector Junior, their son, decided to stay. They battled all night and all of next day, ignoring the burns and the blisters. They battled with hoses and shovels and spades, as the soles of their shoes partly melted away.

And that is the stuff of which heroes are made. The prize for their efforts-the Poinsettia Pavilion was ready for business next day.

The inferno on the mountain was a ferocious sight,

It looked more like a day time invasion of bombs and smoke

than a mountain fire on a winter’s night.

The billowing smoke was a crazy red,

And nerves were shaken with fear and dread.

Animals were seen on the city streets hopping with pain on tender feet.

It was a challenging night for the elder, the weak and the frail. Their young caregivers seemed anxious, nervous and pale.

Years of collections were lost on that night, Like old photos of grandparents holding their kids. Some lost photos of ancestors returning triumphant from war, While others lost photos of loved ones returning in caskets draped with old glory after giving their all.

Firefighter Cory Iverson died doing what he and all firefighters and police officers

do every day, risking their lives, others to save.

This young patriot died for the love of his family and commitments in life

He conquered his fear and died while on duty fighting the fire.

The Thomas Fire burned for forty days.

It caused death and destruction along the way. Property worth billions of dollars were lost to the flames.

The brush and the fuel will grow back again. The Santa Ana winds will always return. Without new regulation, when conditions are right, more houses will burn.

Keep it simple- remove all the brush, dead wood and dry fuel

a safe distance from homes then the fire cannot feed.

Update the homes in the forest to be resistant to heat,

then all wildfire tragedies in Ventura and California will all disappear.

With all of the agencies working as one,

soon Ventura will all be restored, this beautiful city between mountains and shores.

Many Thomas Fire survivors lost all their priceless belongings.

They have all disappeared like the smoke in the air and the glow in the sky.

Leaving an ache in their heart until the day they will die.

by  Responsible and Efficient Government (VREG)

In the weeks that followed the devastating Thomas Fire, several community meetings were held throughout Ventura. These meetings showed a united front of total cooperation and support of all City departments, County of Ventura, State of California, Cal Fire and every other state and local agency present. They committed to protecting our health and welfare.

There are hundreds of stories of the heroic efforts by individuals going above and beyond. This article is not intended to repeat the great deeds done. Ventura now needs to address the problems that became very apparent after the Thomas Fire.

One year into this rebuilding process Ventura reports that there are no families back in their homes November 29, 2018, 133 homes are approved for a complete rebuild, 410 repair permits issued, 135 rebuilt homes currently under plan check review and the city anticipates that four families will be back in their homes within the next month.

For some, this news will seem alarming. To others, this is not a surprise.

What was fact and what was rumor was challenging to sort out when it came to building guidelines, permits and plan approvals.

Sometimes doing too much can be as bad as doing too little

At one point, the Ventura City Council encouraged a fast, streamline rebuilding process which included ’homeowners would be able to rebuild and replace what they had. This became a misleading promise because few homeowners had plans on file.

Problems occurred when the City Council attempted to streamline the process. In order to to comply with the City Council’s desire to simplify the process, the city staff waived the need for a Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Report for units less than 3,000 sq. ft. There was also public pressure to change height limits by many residences. Depending on where a homeowner was in the process of planning and design, confusion followed.

Some changes created the situations that some rebuilding projects were no longer in compliance. Any changes would likely cost homeowners’ time and money. This was contrary to the City Councils intent to streamline the process. For folks who just want to get past the nightmare and get back into their home, this became a cruel and harsh procedure.

The bottom line was that the professionals (planners, architects, and contractors) needed to be the ones to create this process. To build and occupy a custom home in one year is almost unheard of under the best of conditions.

More issues that need to be addressed

More issues need to be addressed and the sooner, the better. The November 2018 wildfires reminded Venturans that we remain vulnerable. The city needs to answer these questions:

What are the plans for more gravity flow storage water tanks for the hillside above Ventura?

What will it take to get working water pump generators working for better fire protection?

What is being done to address the lack of a better evacuation plan for the Ventura Avenue and hillside residences?

How many more firebreak roads will the city finish before the next fire threat?

Where was the local radio station that was to help direct the community on where to go and what was happening?

REMEMBERING

by Bruce Labins Architect

We have a deep admiration for our Thomas Fire clients’ strength, patience, and positivity throughout the design, permitting, and rebuild process. They have had the hardest of years, but in every instance have embraced the ‘new vision’ of their home and are looking forward.

Thomas Fire homeowners have understandable anxiety about rebuilding and meeting zoning ordinances, regulations, code upgrades, time delays and more. In every case, our clients have been able to rebuild not only what they had, but make significant improvements to design, life safety, and energy efficiency of their home. City Planning and Building and Safety worked diligently to make these accommodations. That’s our City.

City of Ventura Community Development Director, Jeffrey Lambert, partnered with his network of city planners and local design professionals to create the Planning Pre-Review submittal process. This significantly streamlines their review process upon submittal to plan check. With thorough preparation of submittal exhibits, our experience with the process and professionals involved has been 100% positive. That’s our City.

City of Ventura Building Official, Yolanda Bundy, is likely the first building authority a Thomas Fire homeowner will meet. When we submit our drawings to plan check, Yolanda greets each of our clients with a direct look in their eyes, asking them how they are doing and reassuring them that the City will make the process smooth and timely. She gives each homeowner a thoughtful touch on the arm or a hug. That’s our City.

Yolanda Bundy initiated with her team of plan checkers a Thomas Fire expedited plan check procedure. She established a 14-day plan check turn around. Her Team have met or reduced that time in our numerous plan checks. During our re-submittal, Yolanda has personally reviewed our drawings on the spot to further expedite the permit. That’s our City.

The Thomas Fire was unprecedented for Ventura. Our City has rallied and extended themselves in every department. They have worked incredibly hard with dedication, professionalism, and thoughtfulness. We are grateful to each of them.

805.641.2310 [email protected] brucelabins.net