One year after twin wildfires tore through opposite ends of Los Angeles County, the region continues grappling with a disaster that claimed dozens of lives, destroyed more than 16,000 structures and left thousands of families struggling to rebuild their lives.
The Palisades and Eaton fires ignited within hours of each other last year, exploding from small blazes into catastrophic infernos that charred 59 square miles — an area roughly the size of San Francisco. Fueled by Santa Ana winds gusting up to 90 mph and tinder-dry vegetation after months of little rain, the fires killed 19 people in Altadena's Eaton Fire and 12 in the Pacific Palisades blaze.
The Palisades Fire burned for 31 days across 37 square miles, while the Eaton Fire scorched 22 square miles over 25 days. In Altadena alone, 9,418 homes and buildings were destroyed. Another 6,837 structures were lost in Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas including Malibu.
Rebuilding has proven painfully slow. According to city and county data, only 10 homes have been completed so far — most in Altadena, with one in Pasadena and two in Pacific Palisades. None are finished in Malibu. Hundreds more remain under construction across the region.
As the region marks the anniversary of the disaster, many are still questioning exactly what happened. Officials have said the Palisades fire was in fact a rekindling of a previous fire and while a suspect has been arrested, many still question how the response was botched so badly. The cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation.
Governmental responses to both fires are ongoing. Gov. Gavin Newsom has requested $33.9 billion in federal disaster aid, which the Trump administration and Congress have yet to approve.
However, on the eve of the anniversary, Newsom announced $107.3 million in state funding for nine affordable housing projects that will create 673 new rental homes across Los Angeles County. The projects, funded through a special Multifamily Finance Super NOFA for disaster-impacted areas, are located in Los Angeles, Bellflower, Claremont, Covina, Santa Monica and Pasadena.
None of the projects are in burn scar areas or will replace destroyed homes. Instead, the state is building affordable housing in multiple communities to relieve pressure on the region's tight rental market without concentrating new development in fire zones.
"We are rebuilding stronger, fairer communities in Los Angeles without displacing the people who call these neighborhoods home," Newsom said in a statement. "More affordable homes across the county means survivors can stay near their schools, jobs, and support systems."
New units will be offered first to fire survivors through occupancy preferences and priority policies. The projects also include 29 homes reserved for veterans.
Combined with an earlier statewide funding round, the state has now committed to 974 new affordable homes in Los Angeles County through its housing programs.
The state has also accelerated wildfire prevention efforts, completing 218 projects covering more than 40,000 acres statewide under fast-tracked permitting that reduces approval timelines to as little as 30 days. Southern California has seen 48 projects approved, including 10 covering nearly 1,000 acres in Los Angeles County.
Last month, CAL FIRE awarded nearly $62.7 million in wildfire prevention grants to 84 projects statewide, with $10.3 million funding 16 projects in Southern California.
The state has assigned five new Type-6 fire engines to the Los Angeles City Fire Department and expanded its aerial firefighting fleet with a third C-130 Hercules airtanker. California also released its first-ever statewide LiDAR datasets mapping terrain and vegetation conditions across more than 100 million acres to identify where wildfire fuels have accumulated.
Since 2021, the state has awarded more than $300 million to support nearly 250 wildfire resilience projects in Southern California.
The County has also maintained programs to address the disaster, including efforts to support businesses. Los Angeles County is hosting a Small Business Pop-Up Fair on Thursday at Loma Alta Park in Altadena to mark the anniversary and connect fire-impacted businesses with recovery resources.
The event, organized by the county Department of Economic Opportunity in partnership with Supervisor Kathryn Barger and the Altadena Chamber of Commerce, will run from noon to 4 p.m. and offer one-on-one technical assistance with commercial permitting, capital and grant programs, pro bono legal aid and financial subsidies for hiring.
A marketplace will also feature local small businesses, giving residents an opportunity to support fire-impacted enterprises directly.
While government support has been available, it hasn’t filled the need and charity groups are also working on various projects.
Total charitable commitments to Los Angeles fire relief have reached between $860 million and $970 million, according to a study by the Milken Institute. Individual donations through GoFundMe brought in $265 million.
The California Fire Foundation announced it has provided more than $9 million in support over the past year to individuals, families, first responders, fire departments and community organizations across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
The foundation has funded 100 community projects and supported 45 fire departments through its multi-year grant initiatives, committing to invest $5 million annually over five years in the Los Angeles region.
Immediately after the fires, the foundation distributed 7,263 emergency aid cards providing more than $1.8 million in direct financial assistance to nearly 23,000 individuals, including more than 4,800 children. It also provided more than $500,000 in food vouchers through Uber Eats, Postmates and DoorDash.
Grant recipients have included organizations providing fresh produce distribution, fuel reduction through goat grazing, legal services for survivors, mental health support, youth camps for affected children and smoke remediation for homes impacted by toxic ash.
"We are inspired by the resilience of our communities and the dedication of our firefighters," said Angie Carmignani, the foundation's executive director. "While much progress has been made, our work continues."
The foundation is currently accepting applications for its Wildfire Disaster Relief & Recovery Grant, with typical awards ranging from $25,000 to $100,000.