As Los Angeles residents begin to rebuild their homes after the region's devastating wildfires earlier this year, many are facing a decision: stick with a gas-powered home or switch to electric.
Despite a 2022 city ordinance requiring most new builds to be fully electric, wildfire-impacted homeowners have the option to rebuild with gas.
In January 2025, after the Eaton and Palisades fires destroyed more than 16,000 homes and other structures, Los Angeles officials issued an executive order to fast-track permits for residents rebuilding homes similar to those they lost — including reinstalling gas systems.
Two months later, however, the order was revised to expedite approvals for homeowners opting to upgrade to all-electric systems. Now, California climate activists are working to raise awareness about the many health, safety, and financial perks of going electric.
According to EPA data cited by an NPR report, almost one-third of all pollution heating the planet comes from homes and buildings. Much of that is from burning dirty fuel in appliances, including stoves and heating systems. Switching to electric drastically cuts down on this type of pollution, which has benefits for the planet and home air quality. The switch can also save money.
"We estimate that you can save somewhere between $7,000 and $10,000 [in construction and appliance costs], by building an all-electric home as opposed to a dual-fuel home," Beckie Menten, California director for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, told NPR. The report noted that research by the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at the University of California, Berkeley supports that figure.
Still, going all-in on electric is a big step — especially for those already stressed with the emotional, financial, and mental toll of rebuilding.
To support those weighing their options, a coalition of local climate groups launched Rebuild LA S.A.F.E. — standing for Secure, Affordable, Fast, and Electric. However, the organization isn't looking to require homeowners to rebuild with electric. Instead, it's presenting electrification as an option that enhances home safety and environmental health.
"We understand that in a time of crisis, when people — all they're looking for is stability, it's really hard to sometimes present what may be a new idea," Savannah Bradley, cofounder of Altadena Recovery Team — which is part of the coalition — told NPR.
Instead of pushing mandates, the group is encouraging residents to make the switch on their own terms. For some, the idea was already taking root before the wildfires hit.
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Definitely 💰 One such homeowner is Jaime Rodriguez, who lost his home in the Eaton fire. Even before the fire, Rodriguez had begun replacing gas appliances with electric ones — including upgrading his furnace to an efficient heat pump. Now, he's planning to install an electric induction stove in his rebuild.
"I'm a big advocate of building back better — and building back better is without gas," Rodriguez told NPR. Still, he doesn't want to impose that vision on others.
"People have lost so much, and I wouldn't want to take anything more away," he added.
Not everyone is ready to make the change. Some residents are hesitant to abandon familiar systems, especially under the financial and emotional strain of disaster recovery. NPR reported that concerns over appliance performance, installation logistics, and timing are common — particularly when rebuilding needs to happen fast.
"I have questions, naturally, and it's too soon for me to be making decisions about this right now," Shawn Maestretti, a landscape architect whose Altadena home burned in the Eaton fire, told NPR.
The road to wildfire recovery is undoubtedly complex. Still, many see it as an opportunity to choose electrification as a practical step toward rebuilding homes that are both resilient and climate-conscious.
As the Rebuild LA S.A.F.E. coalition writes on its website, it believes that "recovery must not only replace what was lost — but build toward a stronger, safer, and more sustainable future."
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