by Wallace Wyss –
As I write this once again Malibu is burning. I find from knowing residents there, it is a stimulating place what with the sea and mountains and show biz folks but it is prone to fires when the Santa Ana winds–with gusts up to 60 mph–come in.
I’ll always remember a photo from a previous fire of some stalwarts hand pushing a non running Shelby Mustang while the fire is right behind them. Which leads me to words of caution regarding your own collector cars, wherever you live. Here’s some basic admonitions:
Keep vehicles in drivable condition
That Malibu based Shelby probably didn’t have a battery or maybe the engine was out. All that makes it hard to move when the fire is coming your way. Park all vehicles nose out. Train those in home all the time (cleaning lady? Maid?) to drive a stick enough to start it and move it.
Split your collection to far flung places
If I had five cars I’d keep two or three fifty miles away in different terrain, say from Seal Beach to Malibu.
Have fire extinguishers in the trunk
The local water supply might be out as the flames approach, extinguishers could help. But at some point you may have to abandon the effort.
Have fire insurance for your collector cars
I know a lot of home insurance firms have left California, but maybe the collector car insurance firms will still insure collector cars in California.
Do not buy in a fire prone area
Ok you made a couple million on Tesla stock but think of not putting all your money in one basket in a home in fire-prone zone. Maybe that 5 bedroom you wanted in the scenic area could be scaled down to a two bedroom, so you have money left over for a modest back up house someplace else.
If you do live in a fire prone area try not to have limited access
After a previous Malibu fire I talked to a lady whose 5 bedroom 3 story home burned in 30 seconds because the fire crew did not want to go over the one lane bridge to her small neighborhood. They were afraid in the smoke they’d hit an outgoing resident. So location, location, location is everything.
In sum: I live in the San Gabriel Valley where we have fires too, but not as sweeping as those in Malibu. I would like to live in Malibu and salute those who stick it out but I think you owe it to your family to have established Place No. 2 that you can go to, and not let one fire wipe out your home and car collection.
The fire isn’t out yet as I write. But having driven my own car (a 300SL), out of a burning mechanic’s garage a few years ago I am more sensitive than most to the threat that is all around us…
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
THE AUTHOR Wallace Wyss started out in advertising where he wrote ads for two of the Big Three. He has owned a variety of sports cars from a 356 Porsche, to front engined and mid-engine Ferraris to a brace of Mercedes Gullwings.
A car driving past flames from the Franklin Fire at Pepperdine University in Malibu, early Tuesday morning (Dec. 10, 2024). Photo credit – Eric Thayer/Associated Press
I was offered a job in CA 5 years ago. Easiest decision in my life: No, thanks.