One Year Later: The Lasting Impact of the Palisades and Eaton Fires in Los Angeles County
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A year after twin infernos tore across opposite ends of Los Angeles County, the scars are still visible. Thousands of homes were reduced to rubble, with rebuilding progressing slowly. The death toll reveals how a wildfire under extreme weather conditions can quickly turn catastrophic.
The Fires and Their Rapid Spread
The Palisades and Eaton fires exploded in size within hours of each other on Jan. 7, 2025. Here’s how fast the disaster unfolded and the toll it left behind:
- 90 miles per hour — The speed of predicted wind gusts in mountain areas, equivalent to 145 kilometers per hour. Red Flag warnings were issued on Jan. 6 for severe wildfire danger as Southern California was buffeted by the region’s notorious Santa Ana winds.
- 4 hours — How long it took for a small wildfire to explode in size. At 10:30 a.m., reports began coming in about a small blaze on a ridge in LA’s upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood — the same area where crews had responded to a fire on New Year’s Day.
Before long, a large plume of dark smoke was visible from miles away. Shortly after 11 a.m. on Jan. 7, the revived fire was reported to be about 10 acres (4 hectares), located near Palisades Drive on the coastal neighborhood’s western edge.
Over the next two hours, roads were jammed with motorists trying to flee as flames roared down streets and decimated homes. Officials issued an evacuation order for the Palisades while warning residents of surrounding areas to prepare to leave.
Within hours, the blaze had rapidly grown. While firefighting resources focused on the Palisades Fire, another fire ignited about 30 miles to the east in Altadena, at the other end of Los Angeles County.
The Eaton Fire started at 6:17 p.m., and all firefighting aircraft in the county were soon grounded due to high winds. By 8 p.m., the Eaton Fire had doubled in size.
Extent of the Damage
- 59 square miles — The total area charred by the two infernos, equivalent to 155 square kilometers or roughly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.
- 31 lives — The total number of people who died: 19 in the Eaton Fire and 12 in the Palisades Fire.
- 31 days — The duration the Palisades Fire burned before it was extinguished. Investigators determined the 37-square-mile blaze had actually grown out of the earlier fire that started on Jan. 1.
- 25 days — How long it took to extinguish the Eaton Fire, which burned 22 square miles.
Recovery and Aid Efforts
Governor Gavin Newsom requested $33.9 billion in federal disaster aid. However, the administration and Congress have yet to approve this funding.
A 29-year-old man faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison for allegedly sparking the Palisades Fire; he has pleaded not guilty. The cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), a total of 16,246 structures were destroyed in both blazes. In Altadena alone, 9,413 homes, businesses, and other buildings were razed. Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas, including Malibu, lost 6,833 buildings — mostly homes.
Rebuilding progress remains slow. Only 10 houses have been rebuilt so far, mostly in Altadena, with one in Pasadena and two in Pacific Palisades. None have been completed in Malibu yet. However, hundreds more homes are currently under construction across the affected region.
The total charitable commitments to Los Angeles fire relief amount to between $860 million and $970 million, according to a study by the Milken Institute. Most donations were raised within the first month after the fires, including $265 million from individual donations via GoFundMe.
Note: This story has been updated to correct the date the two fires erupted to Jan. 7, 2025, not Jan. 6, 2024.