The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors received its second independent After Action Review of the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires, focused on repopulation and recovery. Following the hearing, Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Kathryn Barger introduced a motion directing next steps to act on the review's recommendations.
The motion emphasizes accountability, practical implementation and follow-through, including recommendations carried over from the Woolsey Fire.
"Survivors have been holding government accountable from the beginning by telling us where systems broke down, where they were left without answers, and what must work differently next time," Horvath said. "A recommendation on paper does not change someone's experience in a disaster. Implementation does. That means assigning responsible parties, a timeline, and the necessary resources behind the work, and being transparent about our progress."
Horvath said the county must connect the work across every level of government so survivors are not left to navigate the boundaries of local, state and federal agencies. She said the review begins to lay out what needs to be done, and the county must now name who is responsible, track the work and complete it.
Barger said the county will inevitably face another major disaster and must be prepared.
"The pain and suffering endured by wildfire survivors must drive us to step up and do better — and accountability means turning lessons learned into action," Barger said. "This motion ensures these recommendations don't sit on a shelf. We're putting accountability behind them, tracking their implementation, and making sure the county follows through."
The unanimously approved motion requires regular reporting on implementation, including who is responsible, what resources are needed and what barriers must be addressed to complete near-, mid- and long-term recommendations. It also calls for a dedicated third-party administrator to track progress and strengthen coordination across local, state and federal partners.
Edited by SMDP Staff