SouthernWorldwide.com – A city is undergoing a rapid reconstruction following devastating wildfires, but questions linger about whether the rebuilding efforts will be robust enough to withstand future threats.
National correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti, who extensively covered the California fires last year, details the harrowing experience in his new book, “Torched: How a City Was Left to Burn, and the Olympic Rush to Rebuild L.A.” The book, set to be released on May 12, offers a critical look at the recovery process.
Vigliotti draws a parallel between the real-life events and the classic fairy tale of The Three Little Pigs. In the story, houses made of straw and sticks are easily destroyed by a wolf, while a house built of bricks withstands the attack. This analogy, he explains, mirrors the impact of the wildfires on Los Angeles.
The “straw” homes, characterized by older wooden structures built before modern fire codes, represented a significant portion of the losses. The “stick” homes, while built to code, still incorporated wood and were vulnerable, with many succumbing to the flames.
In contrast, the “brick” homes, those exceeding building codes and built with more resilient materials, demonstrated a much higher survival rate. These structures, akin to the third pig’s sturdy house, proved their worth against the destructive force of the fires.
The urgency to rebuild is amplified by the approaching 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which Governor Newsom has termed the “Recovery Games.” This ambitious timeline has compressed a typically year-long cleanup and permitting process into mere months.
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While speed can sometimes be beneficial, Vigliotti cautions that shortcuts can be detrimental. In the rush to reconstruct, there has been insufficient time to fundamentally rethink building strategies. The focus, he notes, has largely been on replicating the past rather than innovating for the future.
Instead of adopting more resilient materials, the rebuilding effort is largely reverting to traditional wood construction. Vigliotti highlights that steel and concrete composite homes, which offer superior flame resistance and often lower insurance premiums, are readily available at comparable costs.
However, many homeowners are reportedly not even being informed of these alternative options. The perceived need for speed in the rebuilding process seems to be overriding a more thorough exploration of sustainable and safer building practices.
Vigliotti points to other disaster-stricken areas as examples of successful adaptation. Following a tornado in Joplin, Missouri, in 2011, the city implemented significantly stronger building standards. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans mandated that rebuilt homes be elevated on stilts.
On the 10th anniversary of Katrina, President Obama emphasized that genuine change requires time and the courage to embrace different approaches. This sentiment appears to be overlooked in the current rebuilding frenzy in Los Angeles.
The rapid pace of permit approvals in Los Angeles is undeniable, but the actual construction of most homes has not yet begun. This presents a critical window of opportunity to implement necessary adaptations and implement more resilient building strategies.
The urgency is underscored by the persistent threat of climate change, which is intensifying the forces of nature. The “wolf” of extreme weather events, Vigliotti warns, is still present and growing stronger.
However, the narrative does not have to end in destruction. The lessons learned from the past, and the examples set by other communities, offer a path forward. The story, Vigliotti concludes, can still have a triumphant ending, much like the third little pig’s house standing strong against the wolf.
READ AN EXCERPT: “Torched” by Jonathan Vigliotti
For more info:
- “Torched: How a City Was Left to Burn, and the Olympic Rush to Rebuild L.A.” by Jonathan Vigliotti (Atria/One Signal), available in Hardcover, Large Print Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio formats starting May 12 through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org
Story produced by John Goodwin. Editor: Chad Cardin.
See also:
- One year after California wildfires, progress is slow in rebuilding (“Sunday Morning”)
- Rebuilding Paradise (“Sunday Morning”)
- Steve Guttenberg on assisting during the Pacific Palisades wildfire, and caring for his personal hero (“Sunday Morning”)
- Climate scientist: “There’s no place that’s safe” (“Sunday Morning”)
