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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
The Big Burn: How To Survive the Age of Wildfires
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.
Listen
43:19
LAist Science Reporter Jacob Margolis looks at what Angelenos affected by the LA wildfires can expect as they try to rebuild their lives. In this hour, Margolis turns to experts about what to know about housing options, recouping losses, and making homes and neighborhoods more fire resistant. And he also gets insights from a 2017 Tubbs Fire wildfire survivor about the recovery and healing process after losing everything.
Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!
Guests:
David Wagner, LAist Housing Reporter
Alex Robertson, lawyer with Robertson & Associates, LLP
David Shew, former Cal Fire chief, Napa County Fire Administrator
Stephanie Pincetl, Professor at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and Director of the California Center for Sustainable Communities
Melissa Geissinger, a survivor of the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa. https://melissageissinger.com/
Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!
Guests:
David Wagner, LAist Housing Reporter
Alex Robertson, lawyer with Robertson & Associates, LLP
David Shew, former Cal Fire chief, Napa County Fire Administrator
Stephanie Pincetl, Professor at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and Director of the California Center for Sustainable Communities
Melissa Geissinger, a survivor of the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa. https://melissageissinger.com/
LA Wildfires Special Coverage with Jacob Margolis: What to expect when recovering fire losses and rebuilding
Latest news
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A brush fire, estimated to be about a half-acre, is burning in the Sepulveda Pass, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The blaze, which was called in at 2:49 p.m., is located east of the freeway near Skirball Center Drive. Update: The blaze has burned about 2 acres of grass and brush. About 60 personel are one scene with the aid of two water dropping helicopters, according to FD Spokesperson Brian Humphrey. Update...
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Smoke as seen from LA Academy | Photo by avalonsensei via Twitter A large fire that caused an explosion at a South L.A. recycling facility this afternoon has officials warning about air quality in the region. The L.A. County Department of Public Health said people are "urged to avoid unnecessary outdoor activity where there is visible smoke or the odor of smoke." At about 11 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the...
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The hills have been lush with green this Spring, thanks to more rain than ever (okay, more rain than the past three years). But that means when things dry up this Summer, it's more fuel for a wildfire to burn through, according to the Daily News. 34,000 homes within Los Angeles are in brush areas and inspections to make sure homeowners have cleared land have already begun. In areas where the county works, some...
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At a grass fire last Saturday north of Beverly Hills | Photo by Nadia Kovacs/LAist We've been noticing more fire alerts as of late. Today a brush fire in Riverside County is moving towards a Glen Avon mobile home park, prompting evacuations, according to CBS2. On Saturday, a one-acre grass fire ignited just north of Beverly Hills in the Santa Monica Mountains, and a few more small grass fires have been reported around the...
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A grass fire first reported just after 3:30 this afternoon near 1611 N. San Ysidro Drive [map], to the north of Beverly Hills, was put out in just about one hour. "Fire contained to 1 acre, no structures damaged and no injuries," explained the knockdown report issued by the Los Angeles Fire Department. Helping battle the blaze that was at one point possibly a threat to a structure near Ferrari Drive were "low winds...
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Depending on your vantage point, it might appear that Griffith Park is on fire. Heavy smoke is rising into the air, but it's from a fire that's consuming multiple vehicles and a debris pile at "Pick Your Part Auto Recycling" in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. The debris pile is quite large, too, measuring about 50-feet by 75-feet and 20 feet deep. Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott emphasizes that there is no...
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People all over the Westside and near LAX have been curious about a plume of dark smoke and flames originating from the El Segundo area, and worried that a large fire was burning dangerously close to homes and businesses. However, the fire is actually originating from the Chevron facilities, according to a live KTLA broadcast, and the LAFD confirms via email alert that the refinery there is "performing a 'controlled burn-off.'" The authorities "are...
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About 500 people were evacuated from the Westside Pavilion this afternoon after smoke was reported coming from within the building, which is located on Pico between Overland and Westwood. A small electric fire occurred in an empty tenant space on level three outside Nordstroms and next to Wetzel's Pretzel, according to Ashley Walkley, the Pavilion's marketing manager. No injuries were reported and the public was let back inside the mall about 35 minutes later....
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An early morning fire in South L.A. led to the discovery of a dead body. At 4:47 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department was alerted to smoke coming out of a single story home in the Cantebury Knolls neighborhood. The fire, located on the 1110 block of 76th Street, was extinguished in 12 minutes. LAFD Spokesman Brian Humphrey said that although the cause remains under investigation, all signs "point to" an "improper heating device."...
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The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call for a Greater Alarm Structure Fire reported shortly after 1 o'clock in the morning at 1014 N Highland Ave [map], the address of LA Dogworks, a kennel self-described as "Los Angeles’ first exclusive dog Mecca," boasting a "state-of-the-art, 10,000 square foot retreat," with year-round full-time care and other amenities. It took 95 firefighters 32 minutes to extinguish the blaze, according to e-mail alerts issued by...
