It has been one year since the Eaton and Palisades fires ravaged whole neighborhoods in greater LA, such as Altadena, and resulted in the death of 31 people. Though the fires were not in Downtown, their effects could be felt — atmospheric degradation was visible as the city’s famed skyline became shrouded in a heavy smoke. Downtown remained under high-level air quality alerts for weeks. The county suffered an estimated billions of dollars in lost economic output, and the loss of thousands of homes led to an increase in demand for housing in the urban center.
A report by the LA Economic Development Corporation categorized Downtown LA as part of the “Secondary Fire Area”— zones crippled by smoke, road closures and employee displacement. Total output losses across all affected zones are projected between $5.2 billion and $10.1 billion.
In February, throughout the greater LA area, residents and business leaders came together to support victims of the wildfires. Some offered free services; others gave away food — all were trying their hardest to support LA.
In October, arrests were made.
A former Pacific Palisades resident was charged with maliciously starting what eventually became the Palisades Fire.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, or “Jonathan Rinder,” of Melbourne, Florida, was charged with destruction of property by means of fire. If convicted, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“The complaint alleges that a single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting in death and widespread destruction in Pacific Palisades,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “While we cannot bring back what victims lost, we hope this criminal case brings some measure of justice to those affected by this horrific tragedy.”
In November, rebuilding took hold: The city issued its first approvals under the Standard Plan Pilot Program for single-family homes, providing pre-approved, code-compliant architectural designs that reduce permitting time and cost.
The program, designed to help individuals rebuilding in the Pacific Palisades after wildfires earlier this year, allows homeowners to choose from a library of designs already approved by Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety for full code compliance.
“The City of Los Angeles remains laser-focused on expediting the rebuilding of homes, businesses, and community spaces in the Palisades to get families home, no matter what it takes,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “The City’s Standard Plan Pilot Program is just one of many tools now available to residents to fast-track the plan check process and get them home sooner.”
Only a small portion of Altadena has been rebuilt, and the impact of the wildfires will be felt throughout Los Angeles for decades.