One Year After LA Wildfires: Survivors Face Slow Rebuilds, Contamination and Deep Frustration

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — One year after two massive wildfires swept opposite edges of Los Angeles County, thousands of families are still struggling to rebuild their lives. The twin blazes burned for roughly a month, claimed 31 lives and destroyed more than 16,000 buildings across the county. Recovery has been slow, uneven and complicated by contamination, permitting delays and persistent displacement.

The Scale Of The Damage

In Pacific Palisades and nearby Malibu, flames raged for 31 days, scorching roughly 37 square miles and destroying over 6,000 structures, most of them homes. In Altadena, the Eaton Fire tore through neighborhoods under extreme winds, leveling more than 9,000 buildings.

A protest sign calling for the resignation of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass appears on a bulldozed lawn one year since the wildfires.

Permits, Contamination And The Long Road Back

Rebuilding has been slowed by a web of challenges: backlog and slow issuance of permits, concerns about smoke, ash and asbestos contamination, and limited contractor capacity. A December Los Angeles Times analysis found that fewer than 14 percent of homes destroyed in the Palisades had received permits to rebuild. Even some properties that remain standing are currently uninhabitable because of lingering contamination.

"The threat is real… it’s a big problem. I mean, people are dealing with it all over the place,"

— Ken Ehrlich, environmental lawyer who lost his home

Personal Stories

Many survivors describe the anniversary as a mix of grief, small victories and continued uncertainty. Nicole Gyarmathy returned to the area near her former apartment to replant flowers a year after the fire, saying small acts of restoration help process loss and bring hope to neighbors visiting empty lots.

A sandbag rests on a construction site as homeowners begin rebuilding in the Pacific Palisades.

"Anything that I can do to help bring back health and what used to be here — if it’s planting flowers and trees and cleaning up the trash,"

— Nicole Gyarmathy

Ken Ehrlich, who arrived to find only the chimney of his home still standing, now sees heavy equipment on his lot and permits moving forward — a symbol of progress after months of waiting.

Altadena: Extreme Conditions, Slow Recovery

The Eaton Fire erupted under extreme conditions: crews already stretched thin fighting the Palisades blaze were hit by 90-mph winds that grounded aircraft and caused the fire to explode. Many Altadena properties remain cleared but unreconstructed. City and county records show that only ten homes have been rebuilt in Altadena so far.

"It’s all you see — black smoke going about 100 miles an hour and flames all around you,"

— Brian Childs, Altadena resident

Displacement And Community Response

Not everyone has the option to rebuild. Many who lost homes were renters and remain displaced a year later. Local nonprofits and volunteers have stepped in to help: Beacon Housing is working to build long-term housing for low-income survivors, while neighbors and volunteers organize cleanups and community support.

"The housing need remains deeply, deeply urgent. We still see applications every day, from folks who are living in their cars a year after the fire,"

— Palin Ngaotheppitak, community advocate

Looking Forward

For many residents, the path forward is a mixture of hope and continued frustration. Rebuilding will require faster permitting, careful environmental remediation, expanded housing options for renters and sustained community support. Survivors say the work of recovery is not just rebuilding houses — it’s restoring neighborhoods and lives.