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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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After a wildfire swept through a portion of Joshua Tree National Park last May, officials announced today that the Lost Horse Mine Trail has been reopened. "While the Lost Horse Mine Trail is being re-opened, park visitors are urged to remain on the trail while hiking through the area," a statement read. "The pace of germination and post-fire re-growth [of fragile desert plants] has been slowed somewhat due to the lack of summer rainfall...
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The fire as seen from Eagle Rock | Photo by An Tran/LAist A brush fire has reportedly grown to about 20 acres (LAFD officially says 4 to 5 acres) and may be threatening homes in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles near the Glendale border. The blaze, which was reported to officials around 4:10 p.m., is located on the north side of the 134 Freeway east of the 2 Highway and is burning...
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Photo submitted by reader kmcwhertor via LAist Tips e-mail Investigators have begun looking into what caused yesterday's hillside brush fire in Eagle Rock and Glendale, which ultimately grew to 60 acres, triggered voluntary area evacuations, and required about 300 firefighters to extinguish. The fire, which "broke out near the interchange between the 134 and 2 Freeways at about 4:10 p.m." is now fully contained, and no homes were damaged and no one was injured,...
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An early morning fire sent a medical marijuana dispensary in Westchester up in smoke today. The clinic, the Westchester Collective, was located "on the second floor of a two-story commercial building," at 8936 Sepulveda Blvd., according to cbs2.com. "It took 69 firefighters an hour to extinguish the blaze," that caused property damage but no injuries, and did not spread to nearby structures. Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze...
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A fire was already burning in the Castaic area when an Amtrak bus nearby on the 5 Freeway caught fire--"exploded" according to news reports--and spread flames into the grass. The Sloan fire has reached heights of 3,000 feet elevation and is persisting in the 103 degree weather of the Santa Clarita Valley. However, good progress is being made, according to the Angeles National Forest's Twitter. Even without the fire, the Santa Clarita Valley and...
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A fire that sparked up yesterday in Castaic is still burning, but fire officials are starting to gain an upper hand. As of 6 a.m., the Osito Fire near Pyramid Lake is 65% contained and was downgraded from 400 acres to 288, according to official reports. Two lanes were closed on the northbound 5 Freeway and remain closed this morning. No structures have been reported to be damaged and there has been one minor...
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Another day, another fire. This year's fire season in Southern California may have gotten off to a slow start, things are beginning to pick up. Two fires--the Oak and Marshall fires--burned in and near the Angeles National Forest within the last 24 hours. This afternoon, a new one began near Pyramid Lake in the Grapevine. A first, it was reported to be rather small, then more than 100 acres and now over 350 acres...
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The fire that began earlier this afternoon has prompted the Getty Center to close for the rest of the day. If should reopen tomorrow pending the status of the fire, which has grown to 10 acres and is slowly traveling northward, according to Erik Scott of the LA Fire Department. 250 firefighters are on the ground coordinated with air attacks. Mount St. Mary's College has also been evacuated. No structures or injuries have been...
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A fire in the Sepulveda Pass began as a small brusher, only growing to around 10 acres at 3:30 p.m., according to the LA Fire Department. By 4:15 p.m., they said it was 80 acres. Still, no structures have been damaged and no injuries have been reported. As the day moves into late afternoon and nighttime, fire officials are concerned over sundowner winds that could flare up the fire into a larger one. 250...
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iPhone photo of Getty Drive fire via Emily Lerman for LAist An LAFD Alert reports that a brush fire of approximately 2 acres is burning in the heavy brush near 1200 Getty Center Dr, in the Sepulveda Pass. "L.A. City Fire Department says they will need to fight this fire from the air, as the area is inaccessible," according to abc7, who are also live streaming video-only (no audio) coverage of the fire. UPDATE,...
