After Devastating LA Wildfires, Communities Begin the Long Road to Recovery

A firefighter douses flames during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

By Zara Noelle

staff writer

May 2, 2025

Nearly four months after raging wildfires reduced thousands of homes across the Los Angeles area to rubble, a handful of residents are taking the first steps toward rebuilding their lives and properties.

In Pacific Palisades, the sound of hammers and saws has returned, as construction crews begin framing a new home on a lot where only a scorched fireplace remained as a grim reminder of what once stood. In Malibu’s coastal hills and the foothill neighborhoods of Altadena, cleanup crews continue to remove debris from scorched land parcels, preparing the ground for eventual reconstruction.

While hundreds of homeowners have submitted new design plans and applied for building permits, only a few have received formal approval to begin construction. In total, the January 7 wildfires destroyed approximately 17,000 structures including homes, businesses, and public buildings. It remains uncertain how many will be rebuilt.

For many, the financial burden of rebuilding is simply too great, even for those who held insurance. Others are still weighing the health risks of returning, as experts continue to assess the potential contamination from fire-related toxins, including lead and asbestos. Roughly 400 lots in affected areas have already been listed for sale, signaling a difficult decision for those who choose not to return.

Rebuilding after such large-scale devastation is not only costly, but also a bureaucratic challenge. Homeowners must navigate complex permit processes, zoning reviews, and environmental assessments, all of which can add months, if not years, to the timeline. The city of Los Angeles issued its first post-fire building permit nearly two months after the disaster. For comparison, it took more than seven months to issue the first permit following the 2018 Woolsey Fire.

Still, experts say this pace is relatively swift for a recovery of this scale. “Compared to similar disasters, the response time here has actually been quicker than expected,” said Sara McTarnaghan, a researcher at the Urban Institute who has studied recovery efforts in wildfire-impacted regions of California, Hawaii, and Colorado.

For now, the charred remains of once-thriving neighborhoods serve as a stark reminder of the fires’ toll and the resilience required to rebuild, one home at a time.