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3w ago

One Year After Palisades and Eaton Fires, Rebuilding Stalls With Fewer Than a Dozen Homes Finished

Insurance shortfalls, high costs, permit hurdles, ongoing disputes keep most survivors from returning.

FILE - Embers blow down a street as the Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)
The cause of the Eaton Fire is still under investigation.
Damaged buildings are seen in downtown Pacific Palisades a year after the Palisades Fire.
Altadena residents Phyllis Cremer, left, and Judy Matthews, right, have been actively helping the community after the devastating Eaton Fire.

Overview

  • County data show fewer than 12 homes have been rebuilt, though about 900 are under construction and could finish later this year.
  • The twin January 2025 wildfires killed 31 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures across Los Angeles County.
  • Debris clearance enrolled more than 10,000 properties, with 1,400-plus city of Los Angeles and 1,153 county rebuilding permits issued, leaving thousands still in review.
  • By December, fewer than 20% of total-loss insurance claims were closed, with high dissatisfaction reported for State Farm and the California FAIR Plan as Los Angeles County pursues a civil investigation into State Farm’s practices.
  • Investigations continue into causes and accountability: federal authorities arrested a Florida man in the Palisades holdover fire, while the Eaton Fire’s cause remains undetermined with Southern California Edison noting a possible equipment link and residents filing suits.