Eaton and Palisades survivors are rebuilding with fire protection in mind

As thousands of homeowners rebuild their homes after the devastating January wildfires, many are figuring out how to do so more safely.

"Pasadena resident Jun Li Lujan added a new sign that reads, "And so they built a life they loved," to her newly rebuilt home that was made to be more fire resilient.

"The important thing is this time I did the metal roof," Lujan said.

As a professional home designer, Lujan had built her previous home in 2020 with fire protection in mind. When her home burned down in the Eaton Fire one year ago, she knew it was embers that caught her shingled roof on fire. 

During the rebuilding process, she researched alternative fire-resilient materials.  

"I think I have 27 fire sprinklers," she said.

Her rooftop sprinklers can spray up to 20 feet and she said the system can pull water from the pool if needed. It also has a battery backup if the power goes out, as it did during the Eaton Fire.  

All of the wood in her new home isn't actually wood; it's aluminum. All of her outdoor lighting is fireproof with steel boxes.

The slope behind her redesigned backyard also now has sprinklers. But for many homeowners, it can be difficult to know which materials or equipment to choose when rebuilding.  

Katherine Peoples, the founder of HPP Cares, said her organization is working with survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires to ensure they include protections in their rebuilding plans.

"HPP Cares is managing the built center," Peoples said. "We are certified disaster case managers as well as rebuild case managers."

Peoples said she and her colleagues are around to answer anyone's questions, to help vet contractors and go over the fine print before signing a contract to rebuild.  

She grew up in Altadena and is making it her mission to help fire survivors move forward and added that her message applies to all of Southern California.  

"I have to say this, Altadena can happen anywhere, Orange County Foothills, it is important that anyone who owns a home, even as a renter, understands that where they're staying has proper fire resilience," Peoples said.

Lujan included everything in her planning from vents to sprinklers, her metal roofing and siding. Everything was designed to be less likely to burn in a wildfire.  

It's a resilient community that is not only rebuilding stronger, but hopefully better protected.