The latest development in a long, tedious — and likely frustrating — process to rebuild homes and businesses destroyed by a recent Southern Californian wildfire is a positive one, as the first properties leveled by the Mountain Fire have been given the OK to rebuild.
The Mountain Fire ripped through Ventura County late November 2024, destroying and damaging hundreds of structures and displacing thousands of people.
On Tuesday, about 100 days after the wind-driven fire first sparked, Ventura County officials said rebuilding can begin on some of the properties that were wiped out.
“The Ventura County Environmental Health Division and the Mountain Fire Incident Management Team are pleased to report substantial progress in recovery efforts,” the County wrote in a news release.
Officials said 100 properties have completed debris removal and are awaiting results of soil sampling and final inspection before being certified to rebuild. Of those, 30 properties have already received the rebuilding certification.
The County says 98% of eligible properties are expected to be given the all-clear later this month.
“This milestone reflects the incredible effort and coordination between debris removal crews, Environmental Health staff, and contractors working at the Debris Removal Operations Center,” said Sean Debley, Incident Manager for the Mountain Fire. “We are also grateful for the patience and collaboration of our property owners. Every cleared property is a step closer to rebuilding, and we are committed to supporting residents every step of the way.”
Ventura County has an interactive dashboard that allows property owners to track the progress of debris removal and stay up-to-date on the latest developments. Those who have questions about the removal process or who need help with the process are encouraged to contact the Ventura County Environmental Health Division at 805-654-2432, or the Debris Removal Operations Center at 805-320-8378.
Investigators are still trying to determine the exact cause of the Mountain Fire, which broke out during an extreme Santa Ana wind event, scorching nearly 20,000 acres between Santa Paula, Moorpark and Camarillo areas.
For more information on recovery efforts, click here.