There are few things that epitomise the California Dream more than a classic Volkswagen Kombi. Just load up the surfboard, crank up the Beach Boys and you're well on the way to living the life.
It's fitting then, that when the catastrophic Palisades Fire tore through parts of Malibu this past week, a miraculous survivor in a neighbourhood completely engulfed by flames was this blue and white Volkswagen Kombi T2.
Although it's not the earlier and more sought-after split-window T1 model that most will associate with early California surf culture, the sight of it among the burnt rubble still provided a measure of joy to Los Angeles residents reeling from the destructive wildfires that have destroyed dozens of neighbourhoods.
A surprising AP photograph of an undamaged Volkswagen van surrounded by destruction from a Los Angeles wildfire has astonished viewers. https://t.co/OVcIG6Y6kK
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) January 16, 2025
Fittingly, this 1977 'bay window' Volkswagen Type 2 van, affectionately known as 'Azul', had been parked there before the fire by a surfboard maker called Preston Martin, the former owner who still uses it on occasion. He was convinced it was a goner, after not being able to save it on time.
"There is magic in that van," the 24-year-old told AP after discovering it was unharmed. "It makes no sense why this happened. It should have been toasted, but here we are."
"It's so cool that it's become this, like, beacon of hope. Everything around it was toasted, just destroyed. And then here's this bright blue shiny van, sitting right there," Martin added.
He hasn't been able to inspect the van as the burnt neighbourhood remains closed off to the public, but it appears that the only damage is a bit of soot on the windows.
Martin bought the Volkswagen while he was a mechanical engineering student, much to the ire of his mother who accused him of wasting his money, but the last laugh was on him as he saved on rent by living inside the vehicle during his senior year, AP reported. His Mom eventually got with the programme and even sewed curtains for its windows.
Last year, Martin sold the vehicle to his friend and fellow surfboard maker Megan Krystle Weinraub, but he still uses the vehicle while its new owner learns how to work its manual transmission. Martin had parked it near Weinraub's house after a surfing escapade, but she fled the fire in her other car for understandable reasons. Thankfully, her home nearby also survived the blaze.
The Volkswagen has also become an object of affection for its new owner, who named it Azul because that's Spanish for 'blue'. She and Martin will no doubt take it for a celebratory surfing session once the area is reopened.
While Azul was lucky, many other classic cars did not survive the flames. In Altadena, a yard full of classics, including 1940s Chevrolets, a De Soto Custom, 1960s Lincoln Continental and 996-generation Porsche 911, were ravaged by the Eaton Fire.
Thankfully, it appears as if the worst is over for the city’s devastating wildfires, with AFP reporting on Thursday morning that firefighters were seeing an end in sight with wind speeds having dropped and onshore breezes looking set to bring moisture over the coming days.
The fires, fanned by hurricane-force gusts, have left 24 people dead and large parts of the city in ruins.
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