These numbers tell the story of the Los Angeles wildfires, one year later

One Year After Twin Infernos, Los Angeles County Still Bears the Scars

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 underscores how a wildfire under extreme weather conditions can turn catastrophic.

The Fires

The Palisades and Eaton fires exploded in size within hours of each other on Jan. 7, 2025. These figures show just how fast the disaster unfolded and the toll it left behind:

• 90 miles per hour: The speed of predicted wind gusts in mountain areas, equivalent to 145 kilometers per hour. Red Flag warnings were issued on Jan. 6 for severe wildfire danger as Southern California was buffeted 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 it could be a life-threatening wind event. Firefighting assets were pre-positioned in areas deemed to be at especially high risk for fires.

Rapid Spread

• 4 hours: How long it took for a small wildfire to explode in size. At 10:30 a.m., reports began about a small blaze on a ridge in LA’s upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood—the same area where crews had responded to a fire on New Year’s Day.
• Shortly after 11 a.m. on Jan. 7, the revived fire was reported to be about 10 acres (4 hectares), located near Palisades Drive on the neighborhood’s western edge.
• Over the next two hours, roads became jammed with motorists fleeing as flames roared down streets and decimated homes. Officials issued an evacuation order for the Palisades while warning residents of surrounding areas to prepare to leave.
• Within hours, the blaze had rapidly grown.
• As firefighting resources focused on the Palisades, another blaze was sparked about 30 miles to the east in Altadena, on the other side of Los Angeles County.
• The Eaton Fire started at 6:17 p.m., and all firefighting aircraft in the county were soon grounded due to high winds. By 8 p.m., the fire had doubled in size.

Impact and Aftermath

• 59 square miles: The total area charred by the two infernos, equivalent to 155 square kilometers. That’s roughly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.
• 31 lives: The number of victims—19 in the Eaton Fire and 12 in the Palisades Fire.
• 31 days: The duration the Palisades Fire burned before extinguishment. Investigators determined the 37-square-mile blaze had actually grown out of the earlier fire that started on Jan. 1.
• 25 days: How long the Eaton Fire burned, engulfing 22 square miles.
• $33.9 billion: The amount of federal disaster aid requested by Governor Gavin Newsom. The Trump administration and Congress have yet to approve the funds.
• 45 years in prison: The maximum sentence faced by a 29-year-old man charged with sparking the Palisades Fire. He has pleaded not guilty. The cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation.
• 16,246 structures: The number of buildings destroyed in both blazes, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). In Altadena, 9,413 homes, businesses, and other buildings were razed. In Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas, including Malibu, 6,833 buildings—mostly homes—were destroyed.
• 10 houses: The number of homes rebuilt so far, according to city and county data. Most are in the Altadena area, with one in Pasadena and two in Pacific Palisades. None have been finished in Malibu. Hundreds more are currently under construction across the region.
• $970 million: The total charitable commitments to LA fire relief, ranging between $860 million to $970 million, according to a study by the Milken Institute. Most funds were raised in the first month after the fires, with individual donations through GoFundMe totaling $265 million.

Note: This story has been updated to correct the date the two fires erupted to Jan. 7, 2025, not Jan. 6, 2024.

https://www.capitalgazette.com/2026/01/06/los-angeles-wildfires-year-later/

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