The LA Times Spotlights Our Fight for Fire-Resistant Homes: A New Dawn for Building in Altadena?

Link to original article: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-06-28/natural-building-materials-wildfires-altadena

It’s incredibly exciting when a major publication like the LA Times picks up on a story so close to our hearts. Their recent article about the devastating impact of the Eaton fire in Altadena, particularly highlighting Ana Gallegos and her daughter Ehrica Hernandez's journey, isn't just about one family's hardship; it's a powerful spotlight on the urgent need to rebuild better. We truly hope this is just the first of many articles that help us move the needle with Los Angeles County, encouraging them to embrace innovative, resilient building practices. The tlrs team is proud to be included in this crucial effort to champion a safer, more sustainable path forward.

Ana and Ehrica's story is one of profound loss, their home not only damaged by a previous traumatic event but then completely obliterated by the Eaton fire. When they met with Aaron Olko, managing principal of tlrs, to discuss rebuilding, Ana articulated a deep desire for a home that resonated with nature and brought peace. That's when the tlrs team, including Aaron Olko, Chun Shen Chiang, and Lowell Morin, proposed the idea of earthen blocks. This concept immediately clicked with Ana, and Ehrica, ever practical, highlighted the most crucial benefit in a wildfire-prone area: "It doesn't catch fire."

While the idea of earthen blocks was incredibly appealing to Ana and Ehrica, they ultimately had to make the difficult decision to pivot to traditional light wood frame construction due to the significant regulatory hurdles they faced. This challenging reality is precisely why the tlrs team is so committed to advocating for change.

However, the dream of building with natural, fire-resistant materials in Altadena is very much alive! The tlrs team, partnering with helpdrawtogether.org, modulecell.com, and perkinseastman.com—Aaron Olko, Yong Yoo, Chun Shen Chiang, and Lowell Morin—is incredibly proud to be the architects for Karen Bagnard's home. Karen is bravely choosing to pursue the construction of a compressed earth block home, and we sincerely hope her project will be the very first Compressed Earth Block home to be permitted and built in Los Angeles County.

Building with compressed earth blocks is a critical step forward for communities continually facing increasing wildfire threats. These materials aren't just inherently fire-resistant, creating dense walls that significantly slow heat transfer and prevent ember ignition, but they're also incredibly sustainable. They boast a low carbon footprint and, importantly, don't release toxic fumes if exposed to extreme heat. It’s a truly holistic approach to homebuilding that offers unparalleled peace of mind.

These projects are more than just individual houses; they're an opportunity to demonstrate a viable, sustainable, and significantly safer way to rebuild. They can set a powerful precedent for future construction in wildfire-vulnerable regions.

The Fight for Code Adoption: Paving the Way for Natural Building

The regulatory landscape can be complex, and we’re not alone in navigating it. Dedicated advocates like architect Ben Loescher (co-founder of dobeisnotsoftware [adobeisnotsoftware.com]) and engineer Anthony Dente (from Verdant Structural Engineers [verdantstructural.com]) have been tirelessly engaging with Los Angeles County officials. They've been pushing for clearer pathways for natural building materials not yet explicitly adopted in the state residential building code, such as adobe and cob. Their efforts to open dialogue and promote the inclusion of these materials in the building codes are absolutely vital. While they’ve experienced mixed messages and some initial setbacks in these discussions, their persistence, and the recent positive turn in communication, offer a beacon of hope that the county is becoming more receptive to these innovative solutions. Their work is crucial in setting the stage for projects like Karen Bagnard's to succeed.

Why Altadena Should Follow a Promising Precedent

Despite these hurdles, we remain incredibly optimistic, especially given a significant development in a neighboring county: a compressed earth block home has successfully been permitted in San Bernardino County! While that home has not yet been built, the fact that it received full permitting is a monumental step. It unequivocally demonstrates that the engineering, safety standards, and regulatory frameworks for this type of construction are proven and accepted within California. This precedent is absolutely crucial, showing that if it can be permitted in one county, there's a clear, established pathway for it to be approved here too.

The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires demand that we, as a society, evolve our building practices. We're encouraged that L.A. County's policymakers are signaling a willingness to explore innovative solutions for rebuilding with greater resilience. We sincerely hope that Los Angeles County will work collaboratively with our team at tlrs and with the community to streamline the permitting process for these vital projects in Altadena. By acknowledging the proven permit success of compressed earth block construction in San Bernardino County and truly embracing this innovation, LA County can empower families like Karen's to rebuild with an unparalleled level of safety and sustainability.

Let’s seize this opportunity to lead by example, proving that a safer, more resilient, and naturally beautiful future for our homes is not just a dream, but an achievable reality. Are you ready to see Altadena become a model for resilient rebuilding?