Berliner Tageblatt - Vigilante fire clean-up launched by local Los Angeles contractor

"We never left," said the local contractor, taking a brief pause from shouting directions to his army of workers, as they shovel scorched debris from the roads and sidewalks into giant pickup trucks and trailers.

"We're going to do everything we can to get this place back up and running as quickly as possible."

At least eight people died in the Palisades fire alone, of 25 across Los Angeles. It razed entire blocks of this upscale neighborhood, and left much more shrouded in an unlivable carnage of ash, mud and collapsed structures.

Hart and his team of employees are not being paid or contracted by officials to do this clean-up work.

In fact, they are not technically even meant to be here.

Due to roadblocks barring entry to Pacific Palisades, they cannot leave because they would not be able to re-enter, and they are "having to sneak in materials and supplies" in order to carry out their work.

"We're staying at my house. We're sleeping on the floors, on my jiu jitsu mats, couches, beds... no hot water, cold shower, 31 dudes -- it's gnarly," he said.

When the fire broke out, Hart and his crew were working on a construction site within the neighborhood.

Hearing that his mother's house was close to encroaching flames, Hart told his team to "stop everything you're doing," and rallied them to protect her property with hoses.

"We just rock-and-rolled," he said.

"We were fighting fires. And then we went round all the houses... cleaning debris up out of the streets.

"We've just been doing that non-stop ever since."

- 'Vouched for me' -

As far as Hart is aware, nobody else has begun clearing up Pacific Palisades.

So far, his team are not touching any private property, focusing on roads and sidewalks.

He appears to have the tacit approval of the police and fire officials who regularly circle the streets, checking for smoldering hotspots or looters. A local fire station even shared their meals with his workers.

"People in this community that know me really well, that know the higher ups, have vouched for me 100 percent," he said.

For the first few days, he paid his crew out of his own pocket, but has now launched a GoFundMe, which has so far raised $170,000.

Still, Hart said convincing his crew to stay was never an issue, many of whom "are like family" and have worked for him for as long as 25 years.

"I stayed to protect the area where I work, and also save the company, because that's where my employer's house is," said Raul Lopez Acosta.

While the Palisades' affluent residents might "have the money" to rebuild, "there are many things besides the construction -- many memories, feelings, people, who have been living here for two or three generations," he said.

With no access to waste disposal sites to dump the mountains of debris, Hart and his team have "hi-jacked" a neighbor's lot that had already been totally wiped out by the fire.

He has not been able to make contact with the owner to ask permission, but intends to haul out the rubble as soon as the roads are opened.

And in any case, he is confident that they will understand, given the extraordinary circumstances.

"We'll get it straightened out. It's an emergency," he said.

- 'Uniquely positioned' -

Hart is adamant that Pacific Palisades -- where his great-grandparents first settled -- will rebuild.

He believes that many fellow residents are itching to return and help, but are currently being slowed down by bureaucracy.

Officials have warned that the area could reignite, along with other dangers such as downed power lines, and has no safe water or electricity.

Jackie Irwin, who represents the Palisades in California's state assembly, said Tuesday that the official debris cleanup would be "done as quickly as possible."

But Hart does not want to wait -- particularly with his construction company's resources, from dump trucks and trailers to skid steers and grapple buckets, so readily at hand.

"I am uniquely positioned to be of maximum service to my community, and I'm going to do it," he said.

"I got all the trucks. I got all the equipment. I got the guys."

Is there anything more he would like?

"I really wish we could go home and take a hot shower."

P.Anderson--BTB