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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 car with an engine fire sparked a small brush fire off La Tuna Canyon in the Northeast Valley a quarter to 1 p.m. today. Flames spread towards the 210 Freeway, prompting multiple lanes to close and a SigAlert to be issued. But 35 firefighters quickly stomped out the blaze. They will now stay at the scene for cold trailing, where they check for smoldering, bury any tree trunks and generally make sure nothing...
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Photo by Advanced Land Imager on the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) | Courtesy of NASA As they always do with major fires in Southern California, NASA released a photo showing the burn scared mountains from the Jesusita Fire from May 10. The photo "shows the northern part of the burned area, which stretches from the outskirts of Santa Barbara (hidden beneath clouds) into Los Padres National Forest," says NASA. "Many valleys throughout the burned area...
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As we enter into a worsening fire season and summer recreational time, the Angeles National Forest today announced that the fire danger level will be raised from moderate to high this Sunday.
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Photo via Council District 4 Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the Griffith Park fire, which burned through 817 of the park's 4,210 acres in two days. So Councilman Tom LaBonge and other city officials dedicated the 750,000-gallon water Travel Town Tank that will be used to help fight fires in the park and irrigate areas in the Western portion of the park. "It's a tragedy when fires roar, as we see today in...
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One of the losses in the Griffith Park fire, which began two years to the date, was the bird sanctuary trail off Vermont Blvd., north of the Greek Theatre. Today, after thousands of volunteers--most notably the Pacific Asian Volunteer Association who adopted the project--the trail once again opened to the public. Of course, Griffith Park's loudest cheerleader, Councilman Tom LaBonge, was there to tell everyone about it and take a hike with them. The...
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As we head towards Summer, these brush fires here and there are becoming more and more frequent. Today's conflagration, named the Jesusita Fire after a nearby trail in the San Roque Canyon, broke out early this afternoon. Gunshots is on the list of possible causes, according to the Santa Barbara Independent, who is following the fire closely....
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A newer model motor home caught fire last night around 1:20 a.m. leaving one man dead in South LA. Firefighters quickly arrived to 6050 Gramercy Place in the Cantebury Knolls neighborhood and extinguished the fire within ten minutes. Upon inspection, a charred body was found inside. The cause of the fire is under investigation....
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A house fire claimed the life of an elderly man early this morning in Brentwood. The fire, which was first reported at 3:38 a.m. at 12026 Benmore Terrace, was knocked down in 28 minutes after "an aggressive and well coordinated fight on the blaze," described LA Fire Department Spokesman Brian Humphrey. Once out, firefighters began to search the 3,234 sq. foot two story residence where they found the man who was declared dead on...
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Satellite image of Orange County's Freeway Complex Fire in 2008 | The charred areas include Chino Hills State Park to the north and Cleveland National Forest to the southeast The Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act (get it? The FLAME Act) passed this morning in the House of Representatives. If passed and signed by the Senate and President Barack Obama, the measure would create a reserve account that the Forest Service and Department...
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Heavy brush in the area of 8300 W. La Tuna Canyon near the neighborhood of Tujunga was ignited by errant flames and now the fire has grown to consume three-acres. The LAFD responded to the call shortly before 3 this afternoon, and believe it was "started by an auto fire," according to an email alert. "According to police reports, the fire is traveling uphill and is a half-mile away from homes," cbs2.com is reporting,...
