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Month: April 2025

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Fire Siege, LA Fire

Los Angeles County Fire Siege

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires ferociously erupted on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, becoming one of the most destructive fire sieges in Los Angeles County history.

This unprecedented windstorm event coupled with extreme fire weather ravaged communities, homes, and businesses. Thoughts and prayers continue to be extended to all the families who lost loved ones.

As of today, January 17, the Eaton wildfire remains estimated at 14,117 acres with 65% containment. Over 7,000 structures have been damaged/destroyed, and over 3,000 personnel remain assigned to the incident.

The Palisades wildfire remains estimated at 23,713 acres with 31% containment. Over 5,300 structures have been damaged/destroyed, and over 5,200 personnel remain assigned to the incident.

Throughout the past ten days, first responders demonstrated incredible dedication, resilience, and courage. Their tireless efforts during this unprecedented fire siege have been nothing short of extraordinary both on the front lines and behind the scenes. Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone shared, “I am proud of and inspired by the bravery of our first responders, the commitment of our professional staff, and the resilience of our residents and community partners who have come together to offer support and hope to one another.”

As first responders continue to work toward containing these catastrophic wildfires, the road to recovery will be long and demanding. Residents and communities will continue to rely on all County of Los Angele and City of Los Angeles community partners for assistance and support in rebuilding their homes, communities, and lives.

Together, as one team, we will navigate the challenges that lie ahead, offering support
and hope to one another and those we serve. While the landscape of our communities may have changed, our professionalism, strength, unity, and spirits remain unwavering.

For the most up to date emergency information and evacuation updates, please visit:

🔗 lacounty.gov/emergency

BY April 8, 2025
Firefighters Urge, LA Fire, Los Angeles Firefighters

Los Angeles Firefighters Urge Storm Safety and Preparedness

LOS ANGELES- Before rain occurs in Southern California, the Los Angeles Fire Department encourages residents to take the simple steps necessary to protect themselves from injury and their property from storm damage.

Those living near recent brush fires should be aware of the extreme danger possible from debris flows.

When rainstorms impact the Los Angeles area, storm drains, canyons, arroyos and other sloped or low-lying areas can quickly fill with fast-moving water and debris, creating a life threatening danger.

It is against the law to be inside a flood control channel at any time.

*PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS* BEFORE STORM SEASON

*HOUSEHOLD PREPAREDNESS* DURING STORM SEASON

  • Ensure your drains, gutters and downspouts are clean and functioning properly. This is especially important for flat-roofed buildings.
  • Keep stormwater troughs, pipes and culverts on your property free of debris.
  • Closely examine windows, skylights and doors that may benefit from caulking or weatherstripping.
  • Inspect your attic for “leaks” of sunlight, or signs of previous water damage that may indicate where pre-storm repairs are needed.
  • Establish household supplies (bucket, mop, towel, tarpaulin) to minimize damage from a sudden leak or stormwater seepage.
  • Move valuable or easily damaged items away from low-lying areas prone to flooding.
  • Keep sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting, lumber, hand tools and other materials handy for addressing sudden stormwater issues.

Get Free Sandbags!

To assist Los Angeles residents with extreme storm needs, the Los Angeles Fire Department provides free ready-to-fill sandbags at ALL Neighborhood Fire Stations, which can be found on this interactive map.

As seasonal conditions warrant, free sand* is also made available at select locations.

* Sand may be desirable, but local soil can also be used to effectively fill sandbags. While the LAFD is pleased to offer free ready-to-fill sandbags and free sand, the Department is not able to fill, deliver, install or remove sandbags.

WHEN A MAJOR STORM IS *APPROACHING*

  • Prepare your household to remain safe (test and pre-position flashlights and battery powered lamps, no candles) and functional (fully charge cell phones, review manual garage door operation) in the event of a storm related power outage.
  • Turn off your yard sprinklers, and consider lowering the level of your swimming pool to prevent overflow and flooding.
  • Secure patio furniture, household waste, trash containers, spills and outdoor storage before they are swept away, spread contamination or block storm drains.
  • Consider the temporary use of plastic sheeting on slopes prone to erosion.
  • Remind all household members not to play or linger near storm drains, catch basins or flood control channels.
  • Keep your vehicle fueled in case power is cutoff to local fueling stations.
  • Prepare your Go Bag! that includes identification, essential documents, phone numbers, prescription eyeglasses and medicine, pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia, personal computer, cash (small bills) and credit cards in case of evacuation.
  • Confirm your evacuation plan, safe destination and temporary lodging plans with family members.
  • If you have family members with special needs, or large / multiple animals, be fully prepared to take action when an evacuation warning is issued.

FOR YOUR SAFETY *DURING A MAJOR STORM* OR FLOOD

WHAT IF YOU WITNESS STORM DAMAGE?

City of Los Angeles residents should call 3-1-1 or (213) 473- 3231, use an on-line form or the MyLA311 app to report potholes, downed street trees, damaged or inoperative street lights or traffic signals, clogged street drains and any storm-related property damage or issue requiring an inspection or action by City of Los Angeles officials.

Credit : LAFD

BY April 8, 2025
LA Fire, LA fires victims

LA fires victims fear ‘predatory’ developers could remake their neighbourhood for the worse

The flames that destroyed her family home in January’s fires in Los Angeles were barely out when Ade Lahey began to be targeted by real estate speculators.

“Got a pretty disturbing phone call of a woman who called to see if we were selling and we immediately told her, ‘No’, and hung up,” the 30-year-old says.

“It’s unbelievable how quick they’re on it.”

More calls followed. “Yeah, they’re trying,” she adds.

The Laheys’ four-bedroom home in the suburb of Altadena is worth about $US1.14 million ($1.89 million), according to estimates, but Ade’s sister Kiri said would-be investors were offering them a fraction of that.

“They’re like, ‘Oh, you want 200,000 for your property? You want 3, 400,000?'” Kiri says.

“We’re trying to stave that off as much as possible.”

In January, state governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order making it a crime to make unsolicited, undervalued offers to property owners in the hardest-hit areas.

The attempt to protect residents from “predatory land speculators” was modelled on a similar order issued in the wake of the 2023 fires that devastated the historic town of Lahaina in Hawaii.

“As families mourn, the last thing they need is greedy speculators taking advantage of their pain,” Mr Newsom said at the time.

But three months on from the fires, fears persist in Altadena that the neighbourhood that eventually rises from the ashes could bear little resemblance to the one they lost.

Altadena ‘not for sale’

Thirty people are now confirmed to have died in the Eaton and Palisades fires, the largest of multiple blazes that erupted in Los Angeles beginning on January 7.

They were the most destructive in southern California’s history. Sixteen thousand structures were lost.

It was the Eaton fire that tore through Altadena, a residential community in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains to LA’s north.

For many who lost their homes here, the decision now is whether to cash in and start again elsewhere, or commit to the long process of rebuilding.

All over town, “Altadena strong” and “Altadena not for sale” signs are dotted throughout the ruins.

There’s a lot of community spirit, but there’s fear and distrust, too.

“Owner is on site and armed” reads one handwritten sign on the gate of a home that survived the inferno.

“We are home, we are armed, we will shoot,” reads another.

Some in the fire-ravaged community are calling it quits.

Plots of land where homes once stood are being advertised anywhere from around $US400,000 up to around $US1 million.

The sales pitches can read like dark humour.

“This spacious, uncleared lot now offers a blank canvas for your vision,” one states.

Acknowledging that the previous home was lost to fire, the prospective buyers are told the land now offers “endless possibilities for the future” or “an inspired new chapter”.

There’s often no on-site inspection of the land, with plots listed as “Drive-by only”.

With real estate speculators circling and lots going up for sale, Steven Scipio is worried about what it might mean for Altadena’s future.

He wants it to be rebuilt as close as possible to what it was before the fires.

The 47-year-old takes us on a drive in the neighbourhood where he was born and raised, pointing out homes that he says would have been worth well over a million dollars before the fires.

“Now they’re going for $US400,000,” he says.

Around 20 per cent of Altadena’s population is African American and the majority own their own homes.

Historically, many settled here when discriminatory lending practices known as “red-lining” forced them out of other areas.

Four generations of Steven Scipio’s family have found a home here.

“This is truly a place that was just far enough away from all the craziness of downtown Los Angeles and the hustle and bustle where it actually felt like a town.”

Steven says Altadena will need the support of local authorities to ensure it doesn’t totally lose its character.

“Just don’t change the codes and be money-hungry and tell us that we can build hotels to the roof, to the skies,” he says.

“Because then you’re going to change everything about this community. And you might as well call it downtown LA.”

Credit : ABC News

BY April 8, 2025
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