Construction is underway in some of the first homes that are starting to rebuild after the Pacific Palisades Fire. Brittany Hope reports for the NBC4 News at 6 a.m. on April 8, 2025.
Construction equipment and lumber are coming in as the rebuilding process begins for some homes affected by the Pacific Palisades Fire.
One couple who owns property in the area had just finished construction in July 2022 before their residence was destroyed in the January Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires on record in California. A blueprint of their new home that they are now building is similar to their old home.
Dolan Design and Build, the company working with the family, said that one of the reasons they’ve been able to break ground is because the home design was similar to the old one. The owners chose to rebuild the same house, with minor modifications, making the approval process more efficient.
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Walter and Alessandra Lopes were back at their property Tuesday morning for the first time since rebuilding started Saturday.
"It's amazing to see," Walter Lopes said. "With good people doing good work together, we're finally seeing things coming up. We want to pass the message that there's hope. We're trying to motivate everyone to come back, too."
The couple from Brazil has two teenage sons. The family wanted to stay in Los Angeles, a place that became an important and unfinished chapter in their lives.
"It's been sad to lose your community, to lose the place that you hang out with your friends," said Alessandra Lopes. "But at the same time this construction brings hope, brings happiness. They're looking forward to coming back, to have their lives back."
They are also adding fire protection so that their new home won’t have the exposed rafter tails under the roof eaves like the old one. It will instead be enclosed with fire retardant material.
Special roof vents for fire zones will be added. The vents are designed to protect against flying embers, which contribute to the rapid spread of wildfires.
When it comes time to do landscaping down the road, plants and their proximity to the house will be done with fire protection in mind.
According to the builder, they tested for asbestos back in February, then submitted their plans to the city. In March, the family opted out of the Army Corps debris removal program and Dolan cleared the lot.
Three days later, the building permit was issued. About a month later, the city gave them the green light to move forward.
This past Saturday, construction began. The construction group said they plan to be finished in 10 months.
