LOS ANGELES (AP) – A year after twin infernos tore across opposite ends of Los Angeles County, the scars remain visible. Thousands of homes were reduced to rubble, rebuilding has been slow, and the death toll highlights how wildfires under extreme weather conditions can turn catastrophic.
The Palisades and Eaton fires exploded in size within hours of each other on January 7, 2025. These figures illustrate how quickly the disaster unfolded and the heavy toll it left behind.
### 90 Miles Per Hour
The speed of predicted wind gusts in mountain areas reached up to 90 miles per hour (145 kilometers per hour). Red Flag warnings were issued on January 6, signaling severe wildfire danger as Southern California was battered by the region’s notorious Santa Ana winds. Grass and brush were tinder dry after months with little or no rain. The National Weather Service warned this could be a life-threatening wind event, prompting firefighting assets to be pre-positioned in high-risk areas.
### 4 Hours
It took just four hours 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 L.A.’s upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood—the same area where crews had responded to a fire on New Year’s Day. Soon a large plume of dark smoke was visible from miles away.
By shortly after 11 a.m. on January 7, the revived fire had reached 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, destroying homes.
Officials issued an evacuation order for the Palisades and warned residents in surrounding areas to prepare to leave.
### Twin Fires Ignite
While firefighting resources focused on the Palisades, another blaze erupted about 30 miles east in Altadena, on the other end of Los Angeles County. The Eaton Fire started at 6:17 p.m., and all firefighting aircraft in the county were grounded soon after due to high winds. By 8 p.m., the Eaton Fire had doubled in size.
### 59 Square Miles
The combined area scorched by the two infernos totaled 59 square miles (155 square kilometers) — roughly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.
### 31 Lives Lost
The fires claimed 31 lives: 19 in the Eaton Fire and 12 in the Palisades Fire.
### Duration of the Fires
– The Palisades Fire burned for 31 days before being extinguished. Investigators later determined this 37-square-mile blaze had grown out of the earlier fire that started on January 1.
– The Eaton Fire burned for 25 days, scorching 22 square miles.
### Financial Aid and Legal Proceedings
Governor Gavin Newsom requested $33.9 billion in federal disaster aid. However, the Trump administration and Congress have yet to approve the funding.
A 29-year-old man faces up to 45 years in prison after being charged with sparking the Palisades Fire. He has pleaded not guilty. The cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation.
### Destruction and Rebuilding
According to Cal Fire (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection), a total of 16,246 structures were destroyed across both blazes. In Altadena alone, 9,413 homes, businesses, and other buildings were razed. Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and neighboring areas lost 6,833 buildings, primarily homes.
So far, only 10 homes have been rebuilt, according to city and county data. Most are in Altadena, with one in Pasadena and two in Pacific Palisades. No homes have yet been completed in Malibu, though hundreds more are under construction across the region.
### Charitable Contributions
Total charitable commitments to Los Angeles fire relief range between $860 million and $970 million, according to a study by the Milken Institute. Most of the funds were raised within the first month after the fires. Individual donations through GoFundMe alone accounted for $265 million.
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*This story has been updated to correct the date the two fires erupted to January 7, 2025, not January 6, 2024.*
https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/01/06/los-angeles-wildfires-year-later/
