Opinion: A neighborhood that burned in 1961 can come together again after another devastating fire

To the editor: The home on fire that was featured in a front-page photograph in Thursday’s print edition of the Los Angeles Times was my childhood home. (“During a week of flames, upscale Bel-Air homes burn as fire roars through canyon,” Dec. 7)

The property was the Berry family home, which produced the Jan and Dean rock music duo and other illustrious members of the Berry clan. Our father, William L. Berry, who worked on the Spruce Goose airplane as an engineer for the Hughes Aircraft Co., bought the home that stood on this property in 1951.

He converted our two-car garage into a recording and rehearsal studio in 1958. Our eldest brother, Jan, began his career in that studio. Our home burned in the Bel-Air fire of 1961. Our father rebuilt the home on this terrific Bel-Air ridge-top site in 1962.

Our mother, Clara L. Berry, raised 10 children in this home, which was our launching pad. Some of our family still lives in the Los Angeles area.

Our neighborhood came together after the 1961 fire, and we wish the current residents all the best in this heartbreaking time.

Brian L. Berry, Homewood, Calif.

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To the editor: Given the sheer scale of this tragedy, perhaps it would be a good idea for our leaders to divert their focus and attention from blaming the Russians and President Trump for everything bad under the sun to actually doing something positive to address and resolve this tragedy.

They could start by recognizing the role of climate change in exacerbating this conflagration and causing the increasing oscillations of extremes (such as drought and flooding) because of rising greenhouse gases.

It’s high time our leaders reset their priorities on working together to address the impending crises rather than trying to destroy one another.

Michael Pravica, Henderson, Nev.

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