The Woolsey Fire destroyed the Peter Strauss Ranch at Santa Monica Mountains NRA/NPS file

The National Park Service is proposing to rebuild facilities at Paramount Ranch, Rocky Oaks, and Peter Strauss Ranch at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area that were lost to the flames of the Woolsey Fire back in 2018.

While the park plans to use the same locations at those sites for the redevelopment, the goal is to make the new facilities meet modern codes and be more functional and efficient, a park release said. 

The Woolsey Fire started on November 8, 2018, near the Santa Susana Field Laboratory above Simi Valley, near the boundary between Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Santa Ana winds pushed the fire in a southerly direction the first day. It then crossed the 101 Freeway between the San Fernando Valley and the Conejo Valley and headed into the Santa Monica Mountains.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area saw almost 100,000 acres burned by the fire. Most of Western Town at Paramount Ranch was destroyed, as well as the 1927 Peter Strauss Ranch house, the Rocky Oaks ranger residence and museum building, and most of the UCLA La Kretz Field Station. More than 21,000 of the 23,595 National Park Service acres within the park boundary burned.

Now through July 16 the Park Service is taking public comments on its rebuilding plans. During this initial public scoping period, the following types of comments are particularly helpful:  

• Information about the project area that the NPS should consider during the analysis,  

• Information about how you use the project area and how the project might affect that use,  

• Other projects or activities that might affect or be affected by the project,  

• Resource and other impacts that should be considered, and  

• Other ideas, studies, data, or alternative ways of meeting the project objectives.  

How to Comment:

The NPS encourages public participation throughout the planning process. There will be two opportunities to comment formally on the proposed project—once now during scoping and again following release of the environmental assessment. During this current scoping phase, the NPS invites the public to submit written suggestions, comments, and concerns regarding the proposed project.  There are two ways to submit comments now: 

• Submit comments electronically here (preferred method)
• Submit written comments to:  Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, ATTN: Woolsey Fire Disaster Recovery, 401 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360.   

Comments will not be accepted verbally or by fax, email, or in any way other than those specified above. Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.  All comments must be received or postmarked by midnight,  July 16.