Why Were Some Homes Saved, While Others Burned, Residents Ask

MALIBU, CA – As the deadly Woolsey fire rages through Los Angeles and Ventura counties, destroying homes and forcing more than 260,000 people to flee, residents are pressing fire officials for answers about evacuations and measures that saved some homes and not others.

Malibu and Calabasas residents returned to their neighborhoods Wednesday. Many returned to find their home in ashes, and they're questioning how authorities responded to the Woolsey Fire. At a town hall Tuesday night, Malibu residents pressed fire officials for answers on why some homes weren't saved and reprimanded them for wasting time instead of updating residents, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“Could we please have some information?” one resident shouted repeatedly at a town hall for fire victims. “No more cheerleading. Information!”

Richard Bloom, a state assemblyman who represents Malibu and neighboring communities, said that questions pop up about how resources are used in every major fire, the newspaper reported.

“Why were they here and not here? These are important questions. They deserve answers. The responses are never quite perfect,” Bloom said. “What you’re looking for is coverage everywhere, which is virtually impossible given the limitations of resources.”

L.A. County Deputy Fire Chief Dave Richardson told residents that life was their number one priority, and they were forced to divert resources from protecting structures to helping residents who had called 911 seeking help in evacuating. Richardson also mentioned historical data mapping, and said the blaze is bigger and more destructive than recent fires in the area.

“I’ve been in the business for over 32 years. I have never … seen fire activity and the fire spread that we’ve seen. That’s the reality. Our firefighters were out there putting their lives on the line to protect you and the communities,” Richardson said.

Resources for the Woolsey fire have also been limited, he said, due to the fires burning simultaneously in Northern California and Ventura county. However, some residents rejected the explanation. People die if evacuation notices aren't timely, and the lack of firefighting resources needs to be addressed before catastrophe strikes, residents argued.

“The Fire Department has been depleted. They are not fully resourced — and that’s on you guys,” Paul Morra said. “We lost 19 homes in Corral Canyon. Not one engine was up there, and we had no water. No water. And that needs to be investigated.”

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to proclaim an emergency in Los Angeles County, citing the three fire-related deaths, property destruction and the vast evacuations the Woolsey fire has caused – they also declared a local health emergency and ordered that no debris be removed without a hazardous materials inspection, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Photo: LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 09: Los Angeles County firefighters look on as the out of control Woolsey Fire explodes behind a house in the West Hills neighborhood on November 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. About 75,000 homes have been evacuated in Los Angeles and Ventura counties due to two fires in the region. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)