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LA's wildfires: Your recovery guide
Your game plan for what happens next. LAist will be there every step of the way.
The Palisades and Eaton fires leveled whole neighborhoods and killed 31 people.
LAist reported 24/7 on the initial days of devastation. Our immediate job was clear: Make listeners aware of the urgency of the disaster, get them the resources they needed to stay safe, dispel rumors and misinformation that spread via social media and connect people to each other at a time of great distress.
Once the fire danger was over, LAist committed to helping fire victims navigate the complicated systems needed to recover — answering questions about insurance, renting, politics and gaps in the emergency response.
| Palisades Fire | Eaton Fire | |
| Acreage | 23,448 acres | 14,021 |
| Containment | 100% | 100% |
| Structures damaged or destroyed | 6,837 destroyed, 973 damaged | 9,414 destroyed, 1,074 damaged |
| Dead | 12 | 19 |
What's next for housing
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Residents now have until April 15 to sign up for the government's free debris removal program. The program now includes condos, not just single-family homes. -
The Zone Zero regulations on defensible space would apply to trees, potted plants, fences and other items that can catch embers and ignite. -
The new guidance contradicts earlier statements from a city official who said tenants were on the hook for post-fire decontamination inside their own units. -
With building contractors in hot demand, the state licensing board is offering tips on how to find a reputable contractor. -
California is one of the few states with building codes for wildfire protection because using fire-resistant materials helps homes survive. -
The first properties in the Palisades Fire burn area, where multi-million dollar homes once stood, are being put on the market.
What to know about insurance
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As FEMA extends deadline to sign up for free debris removal, we explain different steps of the process. -
We've got tips for navigating insurance claims in the wake of the Eaton and Palisades fires … without losing your mind.Listen 0:51 -
Most residents of middle-class Altadena could get fire insurance, but that is likely to change as residents rebuild and face price hikes. -
Here are some common mistakes or misconceptions you may run into. -
We have tips from California's insurance commissioner on how to contact the state and start the claims process, and how to keep you and your loved ones from falling for scams. -
The current fires are on track to become one of the most costly disasters in California history. That could threaten the stability of California's insurance market and make housing costs go up even more.
Do you have a question about the wildfires or fire recovery?
Check out LAist.com/FireFAQs to see if your question has already been answered. If not, submit your questions here, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.
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Key resources
If you have a question about the firestorm, let the LAist newsroom know.
Stay informed: Fact checks
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Let us help you separate fact from fiction. -
After thousands of homes were destroyed, many are looking for ways to make Los Angeles safer from wildfires.Listen 3:40 -
Air quality experts and advocates warn of the potential dangers of smoke, ash and soot.
Don't miss our award-winning podcast
As the world enters a new age of wildfires, science reporter Jacob Margolis dives deep into personal stories that illuminate the history of how we got here, why we keep screwing things up, and what we can do to survive and maybe even thrive while the world around us burns.
Latest news
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Photo by jibbit via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr "On April 29, 1986, a major emergency fire at the Los Angeles Central Library was so challenging, it required more than 350 firefighters and nearly every facet of the department before it was knocked down," explains the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society. "The tough firefight used 60 fire fighting companies, 1 arson unit, 9 paramedic rescue ambulances, 3 helicopters, 4 salvage companies,...
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An early morning fire at the Encino home of classic Disney Mousketeer-ing icon Annette Funicello sent the 68-year-old actress and two others to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, reports the Daily News. The fire was first reported at around 7:20 this morning. Images posted on RadarOnline show memorabilia from Funicello's career in the damaged building. The actress suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, which she revealed to the public in 1992 after years...
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Photo by Gamma Infinity via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr During the battle to tame a blaze that broke out late last night at a home in the 1500 block of North Viewsite Drive, near the Sunset Plaza area of the Hollywood Hills a ceiling collapse left several LA City firefighters injured, including one veteran of the Department who is "battling for his life" today, according to LA Now. Of those injured,...
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An early morning fire in the 700 block of Kingman Avenue in Santa Monica left two people slightly injured, and the police with a potential pot-growing operation case to consider. The fire was reported at 6:43 this morning in the three-story home, reports the Daily Breeze, and took 77 minutes to knock down. When the scene was cleared, authorities discovered some marijuana plants growing inside the home, and an investigation was launched "determine if...
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A carport fire at an apartment building in Los Feliz left four vehicles destroyed and another eight melted, according to KTLA. The fire was reported early this morning in the 4500 block of Los Feliz Boulevard. Some of the windows in the above apartment units were blown out, though no one was injured. Arson investigators were called to the scene, according to a report aired on CBS2, however they have not yet determined how...
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A fire in a home in the North San Gabriel Valley led authorities to discover a marijuana growing operation of about 1,700 plants, according to the Star-News. The fire was sparked by a compost pile in the living room. In the San Gabriel Valley, authorities say it's a growing practice to see homes gutted to make room for equipment and marijuana plants that will become the pot sold at dispensaries. An LA County Sheriff's...
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Photo by RobeRt Vega via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Autumn is such a tease here in Southern California; forget those chilly, rainy days a couple of weeks ago. We're having a heat wave! Hot temps and winds are hitting the region today, and the heat is expected to last through Thursday, says L.A. Now, with forecasters predicting "temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above normal." Santa Ana winds plus high temperatures means...
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Firefighters dousing a small one-acre grass fire in the northern part of the Angeles National Forest this morning found a body among the ashes. The unidentified corpse was discovered around 7:30 a.m. about one mile east of the 5 freeway near Templin Highway. Sheriff's Deputies had very little information, but the Daily News points out that the body was burned beyond recognition: officials cannot tell if it was even a male or female....
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A late-night explosion rocked the lobby of a 15-story building on WIlshire at Bixel, igniting a small blaze, according to KTLA. LAFD officials believe the 2:14 a.m. "blast may have been related to record-breaking electricity use during Monday's extreme heat wave." The explosion originated from within an electrical vault located on the first floor of the Samaritan Medical Tower. The blast blew out the front door; most of the surveyed damage seems to be...
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More than 75 firefighters are fighting a 2 or so-acre blaze in Thousand Oaks this hot, hot, hot afternoon. First reported around 2:12 p.m., the fire is burning light to medium brush on a hillside across the 101 Freeway from the Performing Arts Center and city hall, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. Two helicopters and dozers have been deployed. Updated: Acreage has been upped to fifteen acres....
