Progress Report: One year after devastating fires, Palisades and Eaton burn zones slowly rebuild
ABC7 takes a look at the progress, or lack thereof, when it comes to rebuilding efforts in the Palisades and Eaton burn zones.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Two fires in Los Angeles County, one at the coast and one in the foothills. Two vastly different locations, but with similar deadly and devastating consequences.
The Palisades Fire, which burned 23,448 acres, started at around 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 7.
In the Palisades Fire burn zone, 12 people sadly lost their lives and 6,837 structures were destroyed. 5,942 of those structures were single-family homes.
The Eaton Fire started at 6:18 p.m. on Jan. 7 and burned 14,021 acres.
In the Eaton Fire burn zone, when it comes to the numbers, the most tragic is the 19 lives lost.
More than 9,400 structures were destroyed, 6,100 of them were homes.
Rebuilding efforts
When it comes to the rebuilding efforts one year after the devastation, there is progress, but not as fast as many had hoped.
Between the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, 426 homes are currently under construction and two have been completed.
Rebuilding efforts in the Eaton Fire burn zone are picking up, with 535 homes in progress. At least seven homes have been completed and residents are returning home.
Challenges for rebuilding
Getting building permits has been one of the biggest challenges for many.
According to L.A. county, 2,740 permit applications have been submitted in Altadena and Pasadena and 1,144 have been issued.
The permit numbers are higher in the Palisades burn zone.
They have submitted 3,243 permit applications and 1,462 have been issued.
The changing landscape of ownership is something many are watching and worried about.
In the Palisades burn zone, 372 homes have been sold between January and October 2025 and 624 are currently for sale.
During that same timeframe, 348 homes have been sold and 123 are currently for sale in the Eaton Fire burn zone.
The ABC7 data team found that 44% of homes sold in both burn zones were purchased by corporations.
In Altadena, that means a potential major change in the racial diversity that this community was built on.
The loss of homes owned for generations will also likely change the makeup of the Palisades.
The devastation marks a new era for the two communities.
