Couple who survived Franklin and Woolsey fires not planning to leave Malibu home

Bruce and Mindy Silverstein fled their Malibu home as the wind-driven Franklin Fire devastated their neighborhood, watching in horror from a nearby hotel as the blaze threatened their home in the Santa Monica foothills The next home.

The couple moved to California from the East Coast 13 years ago to be closer to their children and have grown to love their corner of paradise. They knew the dangers of wildfires, and they were undeterred after the devastating Woolsey Fire swept through the community in 2018, burning nearly 97,000 acres in the area and destroying more than 1,600 structures.

Instead, Bruce, a lawyer, was galvanized in the wake of the fires to get involved in local government and advocate for more community resources. In 2020, he was elected to the city council and won re-election last month. He was sworn in on December 9, the same night the Franklin Fire broke out, eventually growing to 4,000 acres and destroying eight homes and many other structures.

Officials said the fire was 49% contained as of Sunday evening.

The Silverstein family learned this week that their house was on fire, but firefighters managed to save the two-story structure off Malibu Canyon Road. Still, the couple lost most of their family heirlooms and possessions to smoke and water damage.

“We were lucky because we weren’t there in the first place and we were safe,” Mindy said. “We still have our keepsakes, family heirlooms and everything that was smoke damaged, but we will have the opportunity to choose what we want to keep.”

After evacuating their home, the Silversteins and their German shepherd, Rain Bu, spent the night at friends’ houses and hotels while waiting to learn what was going on at home.

The fireplace in the living room of Malibu City Councilman Bruce Silverstein’s home was damaged by fire.

(Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Bruce said the family was convinced the place was “scorched” after a fire broke out in a wall of the home early Tuesday. Monitors showed bushes and the ground around their home on fire.

After the fire swept through the area, they learned firefighters were able to break in and put out the blaze.

“They gave us a tour of the house and showed us what was going on. They were very proud of the work they did,” Bruce said. “They saved the house.”

The couple is still trying to figure out what they can salvage from what’s left. They have been touched by the outpouring of support from friends and family, including a woman who gave them Rain Bu a bag of dog toys, and friends who offered them a place to stay.

“I think people are mostly grateful right now,” said Bruce, who has received calls and emails from constituents about the fires. “That’s the way it is, it couldn’t be any different. But I think for the most part, I feel the sentiment in the community is: ‘Thank God for the fire station.’ “They saved everything. They saved lives. They saved property. We had very few homes destroyed.

After the Woolsey fire, he helped organize a campaign to reduce the legal fees charged by law firms to residents who suffered losses in the fire. He has also worked with charities to hire psychologists to help residents cope with the trauma of the fires and provide free therapy sessions.

He said the experience prepared him to help residents and the city weather the aftermath of the Franklin fire.

Malibu City Councilman Bruce Silverstein and his wife Mindy walk through the rubble behind their home destroyed by the Franklin Fire. They have no plans to move.

(Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times)

In an email to residents, Bruce warned that contractors, attorneys, private insurance adjusters and other fire-related service providers are “flooding into Malibu.” [like] Vultures take advantage of our vulnerable position.

“They claim to be helping, but they are looking for work and have their own interests first,” he wrote. “We need to take our time, come together and get the best service from the best service provider at the best price.”

When asked if they were considering moving out of Malibu, the Silversteins said they had no intention of leaving. Other longtime residents who lost their homes to wildfires chose to stay and rebuild, Bruce said.

“I wouldn’t think too much about it,” he said. “As long as I can live there after repairing the house, I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.