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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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Camp crew firefighters climb a ridge during the Station Fire (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) The Station Fire began four weeks ago today on August 26th. Back then, the already-burning Morris Fire was dominating concern from authorities, but then the Station Fire took a turn for the worst, eventually burning through 250 square miles of the Angeles National Forest and becoming the biggest fire in Los Angeles County history (and in the top ten for...
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1,000 more acres have been burned since earlier reports this morning as the Guiberson Fire rages on in Ventura County. As the 600 firefighters on scene upped containment to 20 percent, a number of schools were closed as a precaution as the fire neared Moorpark. Moorpark College, Campus Canyon School and Walnut Canyon School are all closed today, according to the Ventura County Star....
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Earlier today, Norco officials were optimistic that the La Sierra Fire would be out by now. However, the fire is currently 50 percent contained and has burned through some 175 acres, according to numerous media reports. It began in Norco near the city of Riverside. "What we didn't see before were the driving winds," explained Bill Peters of CalFire to ABC7. "The driving winds are really what create the catoshpric fires in Southern California."...
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Speaking to KNX1070, Norco Fire Chief Jack Fry said that the blaze should be contained "within the hour." The fire began during the lunchtime hour and has burned an estimated 120 to 150 acres in Norco and at the edge of Riverside, he said....
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As the Guiberson Fire burns, already some 300 acres, in Ventura County, another fire has prompted evacuations in the Riverside County city of Norco. Mandatory evacuations are underway in the area of Vandermolen Drive and Valley Drive, according to ABC7. The blaze, located at the border of the city of Riverside, where firefighters are trying to contain it on a hill near homes, is moving in a northward direction deeper into Norco and into...
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A fire burning in Redlands within San Bernardino County has scorched at least 5 acres, according to Carl Baker with Redlands Fire Department, who spoke to KNX1070. As of 2:45 p.m., no structures had burned, but some were threatened. Evacuations have been ordered along Sunset, west of Helen in addition to homes on Edgemont and Fairmont. More evacuations had been ordered, but Baker was unaware of specifics at the time of the interview. "If...
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Fire-friendly weather has pushed back containment of the nearly month-old Station Fire to Thursday, according to Forest Service authorities today. The blaze, which has burned through some 250 square miles, is still 94 percent contained. Aerial operations will continue in an effort to knockdown remaining interior hotspots and to reduce the risk of embers igniting additional fuels during today's hot, dry and windy weather. "These hotspots are located in steep and rugged terrain, which is inaccessible by ground crews," explained an Angeles National Forest fire operations summary.
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As a quick-moving wildfire burns in the Santa Clara River Valley, no official evacuation order has been given to Moorpark residents as of 12:23 p.m. However, Fred Ponce of Ventura County Fire told KTLA newscasters that those living along the 118 freeway in Moorpark, they should be prepared for the possibility of leaving. "If you're in doubt, get out," he said. "Don't wait for an actual evacuation order." Ranches in the Happy Camp Canyon...
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A brush fire burning in eastern Ventura County is being blown by winds in a southwesterly direction from the Fillmore and Piru areas towards Moorpark. The blaze began south of the 126 Highway in the Santa Clara River Valley, burning an estimated 30 to 50 acres, according to KNX1070 [Update: The fire reportedly began near E. Guiberson Rd. and Calumet Canyon Road]. Nothing is immediately threatened, but a golf course has been evacuated. Sparks...
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Citing concerns over predicted weather, prime for fueling and spreading fire, Forest Service authorities have ordered air assaults to begin tomorrow morning and throughout the next few days as needed to combat the still burning Station Fire. Four heavy helitankers will treat fuels along the north slope of Mount Wilson, a rugged area too steep for fire crews to reach by foot. Officials say residents and visitors in the area may see increased helicopter,...
