Caption: A collage of half-toned construction workers in front of burnt buildings, cut out against a background of embers and a map of the burn sites. Illustrative elements by Canva and photographs by Michael Hernandez
The best word to describe the feeling of those harrowing 24 days would be smothering. The blazing fires tore through the houses of residents in Palisades, Malibu, and the greater Los Angeles area. Smoke smothered the sky, and the smell crept into the seams of doorways and windows. Residents were paralyzed, staring at their screens with news and maps of the fire movements. Bags were packed and ready to go, and people decided what their most valuable possessions were. The night brought no solace either, as the burning cinders painted the horizon red. As the smoke cleared and the news coverage settled, the rest of the country moved on. But how would the residents pick up what was left in its wake?
Putting it in Perspective
If you were to travel to LA County now, most places would show no sign of the aftereffects of the fires. However, this does not mean that there was no lasting effect on the residents of LA. According to ballotpedia.org, LA County is the largest county by population (10,014,009 as of 2020 census data) and 74th by size (4,060.87 sq mi). That’s a population density of around 2,465 people per square mile. Although the fires covered less than 2% of the total land area of LA County, they still had a huge impact on the population. But, to put it in perspective, let’s see how large the fires were compared to other cities nationally and internationally.
16,244 structures were destroyed; 141 suffered major damage; 319 sustained minor damage; 1,587 were affected;
16,244 structures were destroyed; 141 suffered major damage; 319 sustained minor damage; 1,587 were affected;
Total property damages estimated between $28.0 billion and $53.8 billion.
Total property damages estimated between $28.0 billion and $53.8 billion.
FEMA recovery timeline projects total economic output losses amount to $4.6 billion, with 24,990 jobyear losses and $1.9 billion in labor income reductions by 2029.
FEMA recovery timeline projects total economic output losses amount to $4.6 billion, with 24,990 jobyear losses and $1.9 billion in labor income reductions by 2029.
“It’s like a Warzone.[…]People’s homes were lost in a blink. I don’t think it’ll be done (demolition) in the next two years.”
— Taylor Calhoun (Construction Overseer)
When speaking to on-site construction workers and project managers, they discussed the difficulties with the demolition process. Mario Lozano, a veteran contractor waiting for his projects in Palisades to begin, noted, “A lot of your houses, especially the ones in Palisades, they wouldn't be able to save the concrete. They're going to have to demolish all the foundations, all the footings, because of the heat. If it hits a certain temperature, it damages the reinforced rebar. So, all that's no longer any good. So, all that's got to go." The work to completely rid the concrete from the streets and foundations, along with rebar, is slowed down by a lack of proper equipment. While speaking to a construction team at lunchtime, they all noted having to work by hand rather than machine. They seemed exhausted at the gravity of the work that needed to be done. What makes it worse is that the concrete and rebar are just the beginning of what needs to be destroyed and replaced.
The Process of Demolition
“A lot of places [construction zones] are taking forever because we don’t have the proper equipment. We are doing a lot of work by hand, and that’s just cleanup. There are between 4-5 thousand houses in the area alone that we [construction workers] are having to work on. It’s exhausting.”
— Alex
* Alex’s last name was omitted over concerns of ICEThe Damage to
the regions water
systems was catastrophic
One of the many issues with reconstructing infrastructure is the heavy damage to water systems and the future of power lines. A study by UCLA's Luskin Center for Innovation reported that up to 38% of onsite system-served parcels in the Palisades area received permanent structural damage to the area's sewage systems.
Eaton Fire Impacts to Wastewater Parcels
Onsite Served Parcels Sewer Served Parcels
Data sheets and Map courtesy of UCLA LUSKIN CENTER FOR INNOVATION, Graphs by Michael Hernandez for Squarespace
The lasting damage to the power lines and the risk of rekindling fires have called into question their place in LA. As of May 2025, Governor Newsom has called to LA County for the burial of power lines. And it's estimated that it will soar past $860 million.
Palisades Fire Impacts to Wastewater Parcels
There Are Issues With The Current Reconstruction Progress
Post-fire reconstruction will be a difficult process following the county’s most destructive fire ever. “Red tape” and construction workers’ fears of carcinogens are just some of the things inhibiting the reconstruction of these homes. Here you can delve further into why these delays could keep residents returning for a decade or more.
What’s next?
The headlines put the Californian and LA county governments on high alert to do damage control on the issue. It seems now, however, that with the spotlight on other issues, they have waned in their job. The fires may have brought disastrous damage to the Palisades, Eaton, SF Valley, and the Malibu regions of LA, but it’s the bureaucratic negligence that will bring the most damage to the Angelinos affected. The months moving forward will be met with more challenges as tariffs, supply lines, and other construction projects across the country wear these construction teams thin. The legacies of the fires will rather illuminate a broken system rather than broken roads. If nothing is done, the decades that pass will see the citizens affected still waiting to go home.
