California Construction News staff writer
Along with thousands of homes, businesses across greater Los Angeles have been destroyed by wildfires, including Fox’s Restaurant which dates back to 1955 in Altadena. With the structure reduced to ashes, the owners are not sure about rebuilding.
There are also questions about whether houses burned to the ground along the Pacific Coast Highway will be rebuilt, since building permits were not being issued prior to the fire.
Security Paving Corp. began work on drainage improvements and the construction of a fish passage along a section of the PCH in Los Angeles and Malibu from south of the Temescal Canyon to the Ventura County line and in Ventura County from the Los Angeles County line to Tonga Street last May.
Work was to include replacing the culvert at Solstice Canyon Creek with a bridge, allowing trout to swim upstream. Twelve other damaged/defective culverts were assessed and require repair and rehabilitation or replacement.
The project was designed by the Caltrans District 7 Design Division. Work began in May 2024 and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2029.
Candace Frazee, co-founder of the Bunny Museum, is already planning to rebuild, even though the property’s insurance won’t cover construction costs.
In an Instagram story announcing that the Eaton Fire had destroyed the building that had housed the museum for 27 years, Frazee asked for donations to help with construction costs that will top $1.5 million.
Despite an all-night effort in which Frazee said she and her husband tried to tame the fire by hosing down the building, it was destroyed Wednesday morning.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up and had raised about $31,000 of the $1.5 million goal as of early Monday. Several similar fundraising efforts have been started for people facing the cost of rebuilding their homes and businesses.
“The Bunny Museum, open for 27 years, sadly burned to the ground during the historic Eaton Canyon Fire which wiped out much of Altadena,” Frazee wrote on the campaign page. “It housed over 60,000 bunny items including antiquity (meaning 2,000 years old), 10 Rose Parade float bunnies, contemporary art, and everything in between.
Only about 20 items were salvaged.
“The Bunny Museum will rebuild on the same land. Your generous donations will only go towards that goal.”
Firefighters are bracing for more Santa Ana winds as fires continue burning in Los Angeles.
The gusty winds that helped propel the fires last week are expected to continue through Tuesday and likely Wednesday across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, with low humidity creating critical fire conditions, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters say peak winds over the next few days will be strong enough to cause “explosive fire growth.” Red flag warnings have been issued through Wednesday.
The Palisades fire has burned more than 23,713 acres and numerous homes, businesses and landmarks in Pacific Palisades and westward along Pacific Coast Highway, toward Malibu. As of late Sunday, the fire was 13% contained.
Many parts of Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Santa Monica, Calabasas, Brentwood and Encino are under evacuation orders or warnings. More than 12,000 structures remain threatened. Officials estimate that more than 5,300 structures, including many homes, have been damaged or destroyed.
The Eaton fire has burned 14,117 acres and an estimated 7,000 structures in Altadena and Pasadena. Additional evacuation orders were mandated Thursday afternoon when fire climbed toward Mt. Wilson. Other mandatory evacuations were lifted in Glenoaks Canyon and Chevy Chase Canyon. As of 8 p.m. Sunday, the fire remained 27% contained.