When the fires torn the palisades earlier this year, they have not only burned houses, they also changed the means of subsistence in the community.
Many companies are still homeless three months after devastating California forest fires. The flames damaged or destroyed more than 16,000 structures in January, without any calendar to rebuild.
When the fires torn the palisades earlier this year, they have not only burned houses, they also changed the means of subsistence in the community.
But, many people who work and live in the palisades do not accept defeat. Instead, they adapt to their new routines.
Molly Rabuchin has been working at Elyse Walker for 18 years. (Sunny Tsai / Foxbusiness)
“We closed the store, never thinking that it was going to enter the city, and none of us came back after that. So we have not left with anything,” said stylist Elyse Walker Vip Molly Rabuchin.
Molly Rabuchin has been working at Elyse Walker for 18 years. The flagship of the clothing store was built in 1999.
But on January 7, the store burned.
“It was heartbreaking. It was a sort of a basic food of the palisades … And for more than 20 years, we have regular customers, and it was like a family,” said Rabuchin.
The team takes this time to work in a creative way. (Sunny Tsai / Foxbusiness)
The store has two other branches in southern California, and the Elyse Walker team transforms the January devastation into new opportunities.
“I think it makes us show creativity, so we do more pop-ups … and also contributing to the charity and making a touch of charity, so that makes us sell in a different way,” said Rabuchin.
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For others, the workload has really increased.
“Obtaining properties, preparing documents, obtaining permits, then entering, separating different types of debris from each other, loading, while transporting, a little and again and again,” said Hart, the owner of the construction built Chuck Hart.
Chuck Hart is a private entrepreneur of the palisades. He has been on the scene since the first day to rebuild his community.
Chuck Hart has been on the scene since the first day to help rebuild his community. (Sunny Tsai / Foxbusiness)
“It was literally constantly – before the sun started after sunset every day,” said Hart.
Hart already has 12 projects registered and ready to rebuild.
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“And then we have a long list of people who say they want to work with us,” said Hart.
Chuck is like many other Palisadians who say they just want their community to come back as it was. (Sunny Tsai / Foxbusiness)
It is like many other Palisadians who say they just want their community to come back as it was.
“I hope what will happen is that everyone will come together, and it will not be too different from what he had spoken before, because I am not interested in a great increase here, then here, no,” said Hart.
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With private entrepreneurs like Hart, the US Army Corps of Engineers has more than 100 teams in the palisades withdrawing the debris. There is not yet a calendar for it will be finished.
