Dixie Fire Recovery Housing Guide

Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the Plumas National Forest, Plumas County is a rural area full of small communities with rich histories. In late summer of 2021, the Dixie Fire ravaged Northern California, burning nearly one million acres of land and leveling towns throughout five counties in the Plumas National Forest and beyond. The fire caused widespread devastation throughout Plumas County, leaving a razed natural landscape, many now-homeless residents, and businesses and institutions gone. In the town of Greenville, the largest nearly completely burned, approximately 75% of the town’s structures and over 600 homes burned down. Since then, the town has been in need of large-scale redevelopment.

OpenScope conducted a housing study that documented previously existing typologies of housing in the community and introduced new options for residents to consider. Through community engagement, the scope eventually grew to become a comprehensive educational guide for residents trying to navigate the rebuilding process. The rebuilding guide includes information on housing options, the construction process, an introduction to codes, fire preventative measures, and home financing models, presented in accessible language intended to serve all stakeholders involved in the rebuilding process.

Client: Dixie Fire Collaborative

Urban planners: SERA Architects

Design collaboration: LMNOP Design

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