Home Care In Pacific Palisades, CA

Some families said they are leaving their longtime homes.

A year ago, the deadly wildfires in Southern California left behind a trail of destruction and forced desperate families to flee for their lives.

Charred vehicles filled the streets in Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades neighborhood, where the flames reduced houses to ash-covered shells.

The embers are gone and the dust has settled a year later, but most of those houses are still vacant lots and families remain stuck in limbo.

"World News Tonight" anchor David Muir returned to the neighborhood to mark the anniversary of the disaster and reunited with some of the residents he met in January 2025. Many said they are still struggling to pick up the pieces and some are making the tough decision to leave their the neighborhood they once called home.

Nearly 24,000 acres burned in the Palisades fire alone, with nearly 7,000 structures -- most of them homes -- going up in smoke. The blaze erupted on Jan. 7, 2025, along with the Eaton fire that destroyed more than 9,000 buildings. Together, the fires claimed the lives of at least 31 people.

A year ago in Pacific Palisades, Alessandro Vigilante raced to his two boys' school to pick them and flee the fires, while his wife stayed behind to grab their most important documents before their house burned down.

Hours later, Muir met the father of two as he returned to see what was left of his home for the first time. Vigilante and his family lost everything, but were thankful to still have each other.

"We’ll figure out the rest," he told Muir last year.

Today, the site of Vigilante's home is an empty grass-covered lot surrounded by a white picket fence -- the only thing that remains of his old home. Speaking with Muir again, he said getting insurance money was not an easy process.

"Literally, we had the last check, like, two weeks ago," he told Muir, nearly a year after the fires.

Pointing to the lot, Vigilante reflected on that process.

"You don't expect to have to discuss anything. It's a total loss," he said. "Basically looking at every single detail that they can think of from the handles that you had on the doors to the type of countertops. And again, that was mind-blowing, because I'm like, well, when we signed the policy, that's the moment you should have decided whether my house was worth that much or not. Now it's too late."

Vigilante decided to sell the lot rather than rebuild, he noted, even though he said the land is now half the value it was when he moved in four years before.

"It's OK. It was a chapter of our life," he said, with a sigh.

Down the street from Vigilante, Liz Jones showed Muir the empty lot where she now plans to rebuild her family's home from the ground up.

Last year, she saw the charred remains of her daughter's car in one of Muir's reports. That's when she knew her home was gone.

"Is that when reality set in?" Muir asked her last year.

"One hundred percent," Jones said.

Jones said she and her husband were determined to rebuild, and they are among the lucky few who were able to get some insurance money. Jones continued to carry her pride for the community around her neck, with a necklace that spelled out "Palisades."

Preston and Kelsey Hayes had just broken ground on their new home when Muir met them at the site.

A year ago, the couple, who have two children, donned protective gear and masks to survey the damage and wondered if they would ever come back.

"Were you concerned at all about the soil and what might be contaminated from the fires?" Muir asked the couple at the construction site.

"Yeah for sure," Preston Hayes said.

"And you felt reassured by the tests?" Muir asked.

"Yes," Kelsey Hayes said.

As they looked out across their neighborhood a year after the fires, they knew that their neighbors would not all be as fortunate.

"We want the community to be the same. I don't think it will be, unfortunately," Preston Hayes said.

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Last spring, Realtor Teresa Fuller saw signs that the epic task of rebuilding Altadena could be a local affair, with potential buyers wanting to place a bet on the community’s future.

“Early on, the market was very active. A lot of Altadenans, a lot of La Cañadans, a lot of people wanted to be involved in the rebuild,” said Fuller, a real estate agent in Altadena.

But as more and more lots hit the market, buyers and sellers both had to adjust their expectations. By mid-summer 2025, inventory had reached its high point, with around 160 active lot listings in Altadena, according to Fuller. That number dropped to 75 by the end of the year as prices fell.

Now, there are growing signs that outside investors have moved in and dominated the market, with profound implications for the future.

A new report from Redfin shows that at least 40% of lot sales in the fire-damaged areas in both Altadena and Pacific Palisades went to investors in the third quarter of 2025. This raises the likelihood, some experts say, that outsiders may hold off on rebuilding to maximize their investment.

The finding comes amid worries from fire survivors in Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu that their communities will be rebuilt by investors.

In Altadena, 27 of the 61 lots that sold in July, August and September of last year were purchased by investors, or 44%. Malibu saw a similar percentage of investor purchases, while in Pacific Palisades the ratio was 40%.

“Following these disasters, it’s really difficult for residents to hold onto their homes,” said Daryl Fairweather, Redfin’s chief economist. “It’s really unfortunate.”

By contrast, Redfin analysis showed that nationwide, less than a fifth of single-family homes — 17% — were purchased by investors over the same time period.

Sellers often ask prospective buyers whether they plan to live in the property they are buying, but those calls have become much more rare over time for Fuller. More than half of those who come looking for a lot see the hurdles of building in charred neighborhoods and decide to switch their focus to existing homes, she said.

“People are realizing how hard it is to build a house,” Fuller said. “It’s a full-time job.”

As for investors, some are “buying and waiting to see what the new construction market looks like,” she said. “We have a lot of developers in town who are really trying to be sensitive to fitting in to the neighborhood.”

A year after more than 6,000 homes were destroyed in the Eaton fire, 2,600 rebuild applications had been submitted and 1,100 permits issued, according to Fuller.

Though some investors like lottery winner Edwin Castro have made headlines by purchasing multiple lots, the process is largely opaque and the names of the buyers are obfuscated by limited liability companies, or LLCs, Fairweather said.

“It could be foreign entities, it could be private equity, we really have no way of knowing who’s buying up this land,” she said.

Two brothers from New Zealand snapped up $65 million worth of lots in Malibu last year and said they planned to build on the lots.

While homeowners who lost a house to the fires would be motivated to rebuild quickly, investors might be in less of a hurry, possibly sitting on lots for years to maximize the resale price of a rebuilt home, she said. The practice is known as land banking, Fairweather said. When this happens, overall rebuilding efforts can be slowed as lots sit empty and the positive impacts of mass rebuilding — people coming back to neighborhoods, stores reopening — are diminished.

A Times review of Redfin data confirmed that investors have made up a larger share of the market for lots in L.A.’s fire-damaged areas over time.

In Pacific Palisades, lot prices went into “free fall” between February and June last year as available lots flooded the market, dropping 40%, said Dan Urbach, a Realtor in that community.

Since then, prices have stabilized, and sales have been split relatively even between owner-users and investors. Despite the fear in the community, Urbach said the thought of private equity or corporations swooping in is not realistic.

“It’s going to be very difficult to buy up a whole block,” he said, “so I’m not as concerned about it.” He hasn’t seen any groups buy more than about a dozen homes.

In Altadena, inventory has dropped from 220 active lots in June to 127 now. A cooling off over the holidays is normal, he said, estimating that about half of the lots that will ultimately hit the market have already done so.

As more people reach insurance settlements, Urbach expects lot selling activity to pick up again. Though some land banking might happen, with developers sitting on land for five to seven years, he believes it won’t happen at a large scale.

In the wealthier Pacific Palisades and Malibu, affording to rebuild can be easier than in historically upper-middle-class Altadena.

“For the most part, it’s one-off or even parents buying lots for their children,” Urbach said.

One year ago, the Palisades and Eaton Fires burned more than 38,000 acres and destroyed over 16,000 structures across Southern California communities. When 80-100 mph hurricane-level offshore winds fueled fast-moving firestorms across Southern California, the Newsom administration’s prepositioned resources were critical in helping emergency personnel act more quickly and save lives.

Here’s how California’s emergency system responded when minutes mattered, and how that response is shaping the state’s approach to future fires.

Coordinated Response to the Palisades and Eaton Fires

While Southern California faced multiple fires in early 2025, the two most devastating fires were the Palisades and Eaton Fires. The Palisades Fire burned through Pacific Palisades and spread into Malibu and the unincorporated communities of Topanga Canyon, while the Eaton Fire burned in Altadena and nearby foothill neighborhoods.

Ahead of the firestorm and heeding high-wind advisories, Cal OES worked with partners to anticipate extreme conditions, share critical fire-weather information, and facilitate the prepositioning of resources, allowing for first responders to strategically deploy. As the state’s leadership hub during all major emergencies and disasters, Cal OES led a unified, whole-of-government response – coordinating statewide mutual aid, activating the around-the-clock State Operations Center, and supporting local responders on the ground.

In the days and months that followed, unprecedented recovery efforts began immediately. Local partners, fire and emergency personnel, and state agencies worked side-by-side in a comprehensive effort to stabilize communities, address immediate needs and begin long-term recovery.

The coordinated efforts before, during, and after the LA fires were vital in streamlining operations and helping survivors quickly get information and resources.

Unified Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

Anticipating potentially extreme fire weather, Cal OES was expeditious in approving local prepositioning resource requests. Through the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, Cal OES prepositioned 88 local firefighting resources and more than 100 specialized personnel within Southern California. When 80-100 mph hurricane-level offshore winds fueled fast-moving firestorms across Southern California, the prepositioned resources were critical in helping first responders act more quickly and save lives.

To further enhance the state’s posture, CAL FIRE relocated 45 more engines and six additional hand crews from Northern California to Southern California.

On January 7, California secured Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) to ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire. While on the ground in Pacific Palisades, Governor Gavin Newsom also proclaimed a state of emergency and subsequently received approval for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration on January 8.

Cal OES coordinated more than 16,000 personnel and 2,000 pieces of fire equipment during the height of response operations for the LA Fires. Additionally, through Law Enforcement Mutual Aid (LEMA) requests, an additional 1,000 personnel were mobilized to support traffic control, evacuations, security patrols, infrastructure protection and anti-looting measures.

As the fires quickly progressed, support came from across borders, uniting agencies and communities in an effort to respond:

Access to life-saving information:

At the request of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, Cal OES issued 13 Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs). This operation marked the first time that the Cal OES Alert and Warning program assumed a primary alerting role on behalf of a local alerting authority during an active incident.

California enhanced public messaging to provide critical response and recovery information. With the support of Cal OES, California launched CA.gov/LAfires, a “one-stop-shop” website of resources for survivors. Initially unveiled during the firefight, the website was further expanded to include disaster recovery resources and allowed survivors to connect with state services faster.

Immediate Disaster Relief for Survivors

Cal OES swiftly opened Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to provide critical aid to survivors. Cal OES recovery staff played a key role at the DRCs by coordinating resources, providing information, and connecting impacted residents, businesses, and community members with crucial local, state, and federal aid.

The DRCs supported more than 76,000 households, new and returning, with services including:

The DRCs provided critical debris removal information for survivors. According to Palisades fire survivor Gregory Runyon, the DRC supported him in making an informed decision about the government-run debris removal program.

“Each time I went [to the DRC], I got more comfortable,” Runyon said. “At no place did I ever have people talking to me that did anything but support me.”

In addition to providing direct support to survivors at DRCs, Cal OES and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) opened a Joint Field Office (JFO) in Pasadena as a physical hub for unified command. The JFO was pivotal in coordinating all response and recovery efforts between federal, state, tribal, local, private sector, and non-profit partners.

Coordinated efforts resulted in key milestones for LA recovery:

Watershed Protection: The Cal OES-led Watershed and Debris Flow Task Force placed 123 miles of protection materials around burn scar areas and cleared 300,000 cubic yards of debris from the Sierra Madre Villa Basin and Eaton Canyon Reservoir. The LA mission was the largest watershed protection mission completed, and mobilized more than 400 personnel.

In-Person Instruction Resumed for Students: Executive action was taken to prioritize debris removal and fast-track rebuilding for eight impacted school sites, and continue education for 5,000 displaced students. Cal OES and the Interagency Schools Task Force engaged the affected schools to develop plans to accommodate displaced students and resume instruction.

Debris Removal Completed in Record Time: At Governor Newsom’s direction, and led by the federal government, crews cleared 13,612 parcels of household hazardous waste in Phase 1 and removed remaining debris from 9,664 parcels in Phase 2. This cleanup was the fastest debris removal effort in modern U.S. history and the second largest in California history, following the Camp Fire. On the ground, the mission was led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA, with crucial support from Cal OES and the City and County of Los Angeles.

According to Eaton Fire survivor Amy Lightstone, the government-run debris removal program was essential for her to begin rebuilding.

“They will do it efficiently, and they will do it to the standards that need to be done,” Lightstone said. “It’s been amazing how many homes they’ve cleared.”

Drinking Water Restored: All nine water systems that were impacted were restored, resuming delivery of safe, clean drinking water through coordination with the State Water Resources Control Board, local water systems, and emergency response agencies.

Pacific Coast Highway Reopened: The Pacific Coast Highway reopened ahead of Governor Newsom’s “end of May” deadline, with Caltrans restoring up to two lanes in each direction for travelers. Throughout the recovery, Cal OES’s Watershed and Debris Flow Task Force worked quickly to protect the highway from hazardous post-fire runoff, helping the route reopen safely.

Will Rogers State Historic Park Reopened to the Public: After the LA Fires, Cal OES and debris removal crews used the park as a temporary debris removal hub, clearing 1.2 million tons of debris which resulted in 4,400 properties cleared in the Pacific Palisades Community. The reopening of the California State Park in November marked a significant milestone in recovery.

In an effort to address community needs, Cal OES answered more than 400 inquiries from elected officials, held 46 legislative briefings, and supported more than 275 community events and townhalls. These efforts enhanced coordination with all levels of government, private sector, community-based organizations, and nongovernmental organizations to fast-track support for survivors.

Cal OES honors the extraordinary resilience of the communities impacted by the LA Fires as they rebuild stronger, safer, and more resilient communities.

That’s because there isn’t one.

A homebuilding company, Thomas James Homes, owns the parcel. Before the fire, it sought permits to bulldoze the vacant home on the site and build a new one. The fire took care of the demolition. The new house isn’t planned as a place to live, but rather will serve as a model property for what the company could build for Palisades residents who’d lost their homes.

Reaction to Bass’ celebration was swift. Wildfire survivors called the mayor’s announcement tone deaf and claimed the project shouldn’t count as a wildfire rebuild. By the next morning, Bass had deleted her social media posts touting the development.

The furor over the house at 915 North Kagawa Street put a spotlight on the still raw emotions felt by Palisades residents as they approach a year after being uprooted from their community. And it highlighted the symbolic power a “first home” holds for fire victims as a concrete sign that individuals and, therefore, entire neighborhoods are rebounding from loss, said Rebecca Ewert, a sociologist at Northwestern University who has studied the aftermath of wildfires.

“The recovery process is overwhelmingly measured by rebuilding, by regular people and by officials,” Ewert said. “It’s a visible symbol of things returning to normal.”

By celebrating a homebuilder rather than a homeowner, Ewert said, the city scrambled the traditional meanings of resilience, tenacity and commitment often attributed to residents who return as quickly as possible.

“Developer rebuilds don’t shore up that community fabric,” she said. “People want to see the community knitting back together.”

Five days before 915 North Kagawa Street received a certificate of occupancy, the city’s final sign-off that allows people to inhabit a dwelling, a project 35 miles away in Altadena presented its own definitional quandary.