2025 Fire Rebuilds
Challenges: Navigating post-fire permitting and CEQA requirements, seawall and septic replacements, educating homeowners, and advancing alternative, fire-resilient systems under rapid recovery timelines.
Nous is currently supporting 20+ residential fire-rebuild projects across Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, helping families recover from the 2025 wildfires. With deep experience from past events like the 2017 Thomas Fire and 2018 Woolsey Fire—where we supported multiple hillside rebuilds in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties—we are applying lessons learned to guide smarter, safer, and more sustainable reconstructions across California.
Assessments | Altadena & Pacific Palisades, CA
Initial site walks and structural evaluations for dozens of post-fire lots, including assessments in partnership with local architects and forensic teams.
Assessments with Office of: Office | Altadena, CA
The Community Rebuilding Response program provides residents with initial Assessments, as well as future options of Collaborative design studies, and permitting preparation with emerging local architecture practices.
Altadena Compressed Earth Block Rebuild Workshop | Altadena, CA
Compressed earth block rebuilding workshop with Office for Collective Architecture (OCA), providing a fireproof and low-carbon alternative to conventional construction systems, yet still seismically safe and structurally permissible.
Case Study: Adapt | Altadena & Pacific Palisades, CA
Ten of Los Angeles’ leading architecture firms have united to redefine residential design for a changing climate. Blending resilience, affordability, and architectural beauty, Case Study: Adapt™ introduces a bold new vision for West Coast living. Nous is the structural engineer for homes in the program including a new Johnston Marklee home .
Engineering Work | Altadena & Pacific Palisades, CA
Nous is actively delivering structural engineering services for 20+ fire rebuilds, collaborating with architects including LOHA, ORA, Ball-Nogues, Mutuo, Westside Build, Johnston Marklee, RADAR, June Street Architecture, Jacobschang Architecture, Pooja Bhagat Architects & Planners.
Projects include:
Seawall and septic system design
Capture of unpermitted square footage
CEQA review and permitting support
Design within +10% footprint allowances
Guidance on climate-adaptive materials and assemblies
Our work supports homeowners through every step—from assessments to design to construction—bringing clarity, speed, and safety to fire recovery efforts.
