Beverly Press Park Labrea News: One year after Eaton, Palisades fires, rebuilding remains painfully slow

On the morning of Jan. 7, 2025, Sarah Doering was gardening on the deck of her home that overlooked Topanga Canyon when she noticed a thick plume of smoke coming from the Pacific Palisades. Since 1978, Doering had experienced several fire evacuations in the Sunset Mesa neighborhood – an unincorporated community of L.A. County just west of the Getty Villa. She said this fire, however, immediately appeared different, as the smoke billowed rapidly for several minutes without any sign of firefighters.

“Every time I looked, it was bigger … We were looking at this ever-growing plume of smoke and then you could see the winds start a little bit – all of a sudden it just ballooned, it became very large, and we were alarmed,” Doering said.

Within an hour, Doering and other Sunset Mesa residents received evacuation orders and packed up their cars with essential belongings as flames began to encroach. Doering described seeing firetrucks and emergency responders caravan down Pacific Coast Highway while she drove to a friend’s condo in Santa Monica, surrounded by ever-growing smoke.

Doering said the next 24 hours were marked by uncertainty. As news of the fire spread, she did not know whether her house was still standing. The next day, a family friend sent her a video of the neighborhood. Her home of nearly five decades was completely destroyed.

As fires continued for weeks, entire neighborhoods in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Altadena were leveled. More than 16,000 structures were destroyed and 31 people were killed due to the Palisades and Eaton fires, fueled by extreme winds and exceptionally dry conditions.

One year later, communities impacted are facing a long road ahead as they begin to rebuild their homes, businesses, schools and churches. As narratives emerged about how the fires started – with at least one person facing arson charges for allegedly sparking the Palisades fire – so have questions about accountability. The Los Angeles Fire Department and L.A. City and County leadership have been inundated with controversies surrounding what went wrong on Jan. 7, and what could have been done differently. As residents who were impacted expressed anger and frustration over what they see as mismanagement and a chaotic rebuilding process – including by staging a “They Let Us Burn” demonstration in Palisades Village on Jan. 7 – they also came together to express hope for the future amid the recovery.

The Palisades Village was lit with three beams of light on Jan. 7 to symbolize unity and honor the victims and survivors in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Altadena. The event included remarks from Rick Caruso, a businessman and developer who owns the Palisades Village shopping center. As he invited residents to attend the event, Caruso emphasized the resilience of the residents impacted by the fires.

“It is the people, not the politicians, who have made the difference, and it is the people who have proven that the soul of our community isn’t just found in the zip code, but in the unbreakable bond we share as proud Angelenos,” Caruso said. “While much remains to be done, let’s take a moment to look upward at those three pillars of light. Let us honor our losses, find gratitude for the strength we’ve discovered in each other, and look forward to the future with renewed hope for an even stronger Los Angeles.”

Doering said the already close-knit Sunset Mesa community came together in the aftermath of the fire, and has remained committed to supporting one another. She also praised the work of FEMA and the Red Cross, which immediately mobilized to provide assistance, and expressed frustration with recent federal funding cuts to FEMA and similar agencies. FEMA workers are currently bracing for the dismissal of approximately 1,000 disaster workers in January.

“It’s a slap in the face to what they did to help our community,” Doering said. “There’s no excuse for that. It’s not about the money. It’s about the message that they don’t matter – that we don’t matter.”

As of Jan. 5, 2,631 building permits have been issued for fire victims across Los Angeles County and the cities of Los Angeles, Malibu and Pasadena. Approximately 6,195 applications have been received by the jurisdictions combined, representing about 40% of all buildings destroyed. So far, less than a dozen homes have been rebuilt across L.A. County. For many residents, the trauma of losing a home has been compounded by a stressful permitting process that some have described as slow-moving.

Doering said the process has been a grueling back-and-forth between acquiring plans and submitting them to different agencies. She has submitted her finalized rebuilding plans to L.A. County, and is currently waiting to hear back. She still does not know how much it will cost to rebuild.

“Replacing your wardrobe is not fun. Designing a house is not fun,” Doering said. “I think some people can’t help but think, ‘oh wouldn’t it be great to design a new house that you like.’ Well, it isn’t, for me or anyone I know.”

Many leaders across the different cities impacted, L.A. County and the state issued statements on the one-year anniversary of the fires mourning the lives lost and committing to support the recovery process.

“There were many failures of our system still unresolved and so many things to improve and try to fix,” Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) said. “Much of our work this year will be focused on lessons learned from this terrible tragedy, and ensuring survivors have the necessary tools to return to their communities.”

“In our darkest hour, Angelenos turned to one another – neighbors, families and friends – and found strength in our community,” U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) said. She highlighted several pieces of legislation she has put forward to aid fire victims – including the Don’t Penalize Victims Act and the Stop Disaster Price Gouging Act.

“I will also keep fighting for an honest and public accounting of what happened before, during and after the fire. That means a full analysis of the response, prevention efforts and coordination breakdowns, so we can make sure this never happens again,” Friedman said.

“Full recovery is a long-term, multi-year effort that must leverage innovative solutions to protect the community for the future in the face of more frequent and severe climate threats,” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said. “We must continue working together alongside the Palisades community and across every level of government, philanthropy, the insurance industry and the business sector to build on the progress we’ve made and to advocate for what needs to change, including insurance and mortgage forbearance policies and other reforms necessary to support long-term recovery. I remain committed to continuing to use the full-force of my mayoral power to restore the Palisades community and return families home as quickly and safely as possible.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered flags at all state buildings to be flown at half-staff on Jan. 7 in remembrance of the fires.

“This past year, marked by loss, trauma and uncertainty, has also seen remarkable feats of compassion and solidarity,” Newsom said. “From the first flames to today, people from across the state, even across the globe, have come together in support of these communities. That spirit of unity will endure beyond this disaster itself – a testament to the strength and heart seen in the recovery. That is the legacy that endures – not only the tragedy California suffered, but the love and humanity that rose in its wake.”

On the evening of Jan. 7, 2026, Doering’s friends gathered amid empty lots in the once-idyllic neighborhood to watch the sunset and mark one year since the fires. As the rebuilding process begins, they are hopeful that they will be able to return to their homes, however long it may take.

“I want to support my community and look forward with hope,” Doering said. “I don’t want to spend my energy being angry and looking back.