Rebuilding L.A.

The much ballyhooed Fire Aid concert in January, featuring artists from Billie Eilish to Joni Mitchell to No Doubt, raised $100 million to help assist people in the immediate aftermath of the Eaton and Palisades Fires. Over the summer, the organizers came under a lot of scrutiny by some residents — and even President Donald Trump — who all questioned how the money was spent.August Brown covers the music industry for the Los Angeles Times and made a lot of calls, trying to track down where the Fire Aid grants went, and how they were used. He’s got some answers for the skeptics, and shares them with host Kate Cagle.Guest: Los Angeles Times Reporter August BrownAugust’s Stories:https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-07-30/fireaid-retains-law-firm-to-review-grants-after-trumps-misleading-criticismhttps://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-07-23/where-did-the-fireaid-money-gohttps://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-07-23/where-did-the-fireaid-money-gohttps://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-02-18/fireaid-grants-50-million-la-wildfire-relief

Pandora’s Box: The Fall of L.A.’s Sheriff is a six-part true crime investigation from the Los Angeles Times about one of the biggest law enforcement scandals in U.S. history.Follow Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Christopher Goffard as he uncovers how Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, once hailed as a reformer, became entangled in a shocking cover-up inside the nation’s largest jail system. From FBI informants and jailhouse brutality to corruption at the highest levels, this series reveals how deputies hid an inmate, intimidated federal agents, and ultimately brought down one of California’s most powerful sheriffs.

On the morning of the Palisades Fire, streets were already gridlocked by the time the first widespread evacuation order was issued. Eventually, people were told to leave their cars behind and run, setting off a harrowing escape for many residents.For decades it was an open secret that the Pacific Palisades didn’t have enough roads out of town for people to evacuate effectively and efficiently during an emergency, and January 7th made that plain. It took over 6 hours to get everyone out.In the hope of preventing this type of situation, a state law was passed after the Camp Fire killed 85 people in Paradise, Calif., requiring cities and counties to do a detailed analysis of evacuation plans. That essentially meant outlining specific routes to take — not to take — during different scenarios, and how long it would to get everyone out of harm’s way. But so far the city has not provided evidence that it has done this, or said when it would provide it.The Los Angeles Times’ Noah Haggerty started looking into this and he joins Rebuilding LA host Kate Cagle to talk about it.Guest: Noah Haggerty, LA Times reporter covering the environment, health, and science.Nancy Cassaro-Fracchiolla, Pacific Palisades resident and former drama teacher at Palisades HighNoah’s Stories: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-07-31/la-councilmember-traci-park-pushes-city-to-analyze-evacuation-routeshttps://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-07-25/l-a-fire-evacuation-plans-remain-untested

A recent attempt by the California state legislature to create a Rebuilding Authority to help coordinate the recovery and restoration of neighborhoods burned in the Eaton and Palisades fire was met with backlash. The language in the proposed bill was confusing, but, also, some of the information circulating about it wasn’t true, stoking the fear and anger of some residents. The bill, SB 549, has since been tabled, and it’s unclear what the next step is for this idea of a Rebuilding Authority. At the same time, concern over another building bill, now law, led local and state officials to quickly weaken its reach in the Pacific Palisades.Los Angeles Times reporter Liam Dillon covers housing and recently wrote about all of this. He joins host Kate Cagle to talk about what happened and how some of these misconceptions could affect the rebuilding process. 

Unlike in previous fire disasters, FEMA did not test the soil in the Eaton and Palisades burn area after debris was cleared, raising questions about whether or not any harmful substances were left behind. Fires that burn that hot through a neighborhood can release a complex mix of chemicals into the air, like arsenic, chromium, mercury and lead, that can seep deep into the ground and into the walls and floors of buildings still standing. A reporting team from the Los Angeles Times decided to take it upon themselves to investigate and do their own testing of the soil around homes that had been cleared and those still in tact. Some of the results were alarming. Guests: Tony Briscoe, LA Times Environment Reporter, and Noah Haggerty, LA Times Science and Environment ReporterMegan Lorick, Malibu Resident A Sample of Tony and Noah’s Stories: Communities are rebuilding after L.A. fires despite lack of soil testing for toxic substanceshttps://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-03-27/rebuilding-without-soil-testingL.A. Times finds alarming levels of soil toxins in Altadena and Pacific Palisadeshttps://www.latimes.com/00000196-7dad-d12e-afbe-fffd3f110000-123Pressure is mounting for soil testing post-fire cleanup. The Newsom administration is downplaying the concernshttps://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-06-12/elected-officials-call-for-soil-testing-after-la-wildfiresNearly half of Pasadena Unified schools have contaminated soil, district findshttps://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-05-16/nearly-half-of-pasadena-unified-schools-have-contaminated-soil-district-finds

Nineteen people died during the Eaton Fire in January. All but one of them lived in neighborhoods west of Lake Avenue in Altadena. The 19th person lived just east of that border. It’s been reported that evacuation warnings were not issued in that neighborhood until early morning when the fire was already approaching people’s doorsteps. Now, a new investigation from the Los Angeles Times finds there was only one LA County Fire truck present at 3:08 AM as the flames swept into west Altadena. Reporter Rebecca Ellis looked into what happened and why. She joins host Kate Cagle to talk about it.Guests: Rebecca Ellis, LA Times ReporterVictoria Knapp, Altadena resident and Chair of the Altadena Town CouncilRebecca’s story: A Times investigation: As west Altadena burned, L.A. County fire trucks stayed elsewhere: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-07-23/as-west-altadena-burned-county-fire-trucks-stayed-elsewhere

As the neighborhoods hit hardest by the Palisades and Eaton Fires rebuild, modern building codes will largely ensure that houses and other structures will be more resilient. But what else needs to be done across these communities to make sure the next disaster isn’t as devastating? How do we rebuild in a way that makes the neighborhoods whole again and also safer, stronger, and less vulnerable? Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath has some thoughts. Her district runs from Santa Monica to Sylmar and includes the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and nearby unincorporated areas like Sunset Mesa, which all together lost nearly 7,000 structures in the Palisades Fire.In conjunction with the University of California, Los Angeles, and a panel of area experts, Supervisor Horvath has put together the Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire Safe Recovery, which is full of proposals for updating the water infrastructure and alert systems in these fire prone areas, among other things, as well as creating a Rebuilding Authority to serve as a county-wide one-stop shop for guidance and resources on rebuilding.Supervisor Horvath joins host Kate Cagle to talk about the Commission and about the county response on January 7th and what’s being learned to ensure this level of devastation doesn’t occur again.We also hear from Allison Horldorff Polhill, a resident in the Pacific Palisades who lost her home on January 7.Guests:LA County Supervisor Lindsey HorvathAllison Horldorff Polhill, Pacific Palisades Resident and Senior Advisor and District Director at Los Angeles Unified School DistrictBlue Ribbon Commission: https://lindseyhorvath.lacounty.gov/blue-ribbon-commission/https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-05-07/expert-commission-los-angeles-firesMayor Karen Bass Executive Order to Restrict SB 9 in the Pacific Palisades: https://mayor.lacity.gov/news/mayor-bass-issues-emergency-executive-order-prohibit-sb-9-applications-within-palisades-burnLA Times: After outcry, L.A. restricts duplexes in Pacific Palisades: https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2025-07-30/after-outcry-l-a-restricts-duplexes-in-pacific-palisadesLA Times: Conspiracy theories thwart rebuilding plan after L.A. County wildfireshttps://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2025-07-17/affordable-housing-palisades-authority-failureSanta Monica Daily Press: Ben Allen puts wildfire rebuilding bill on hold after mixed reaction in Assembly hearinghttps://smdp.com/government-politics-2/ben-allen-puts-wildfire-rebuilding-bill-on-hold-after-mixed-reaction-in-assembly-hearing/

Of the areas in Southern California most prone to catching fire, Malibu is probably number one. It was hit by two fires last winter – the Franklin Fire, which forced evacuations from Pepperdine University, and January’s Palisades Fire, which burned all the way to the water, affecting about one-third of the town’s 20 square miles. On top of that, many residents are still rebuilding after the Woolsey fire in 2018 so emotions still remain pretty raw nearly seven months after the Palisades fire.So where does Malibu go from here? Building in Malibu has its challenges with its hilly terrain and proximity to the Pacific. Can it rebuild in a sustainable way that preserves what’s left of Malibu’s bohemian past, keep out developers, and also better prepare the city for the next fire that will undoubtedly come? We hear from two LA locals, including long time LA Times reporter Jim Rainey, who lost their family homes. Plus we’ll talk to Yolanda Bundy, who is helping oversee fire recovery.Guests:LA Times reporter Jim RaineyYolanda Bundy, Director, Malibu’s Community Development DepartmentWade Major, film critic for LAist’s Air Talk and resident of Malibu

On January 6th, the National Weather Service issued a dire warning of a life threatening storm — Santa Anas so extreme it would be sure to topple trees, knock down power lines, and spread any fire that started.But LA planned for this, right?Most climate scientists agree that a fire driven by hurricane force winds is impossible to fight, but some of LA’s emergency systems did break down in those first chaotic nights after the Palisades and Eaton fires started — and the finger pointing began almost immediately.A big source of residents' ire: an empty reservoir sitting above the Highlands in the Pacific Palisades. It’s hard to say whether it would have made a difference against the firefight had it been full of water. But the fact that it was empty raises the question of how prepared the city was for a disaster of this scale, and what’s being done to make sure we are ready for the next one.Guests:LA Times reporter Matt HamiltonPacific Palisades resident Peggy Holter

Altadena has a “special sauce,” explains resident and architect Steve Lewis. This unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, nestled at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, is recognized for its small town feel, diversity and bohemian vibe.It’s long been a haven for Black Angelenos who were unable to buy property elsewhere in LA due to redlining practices in. Artists like Charles White moved there. So did novelist Octavia Butler. Not far from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Altadena’s has been home to scientists and artists alike — nurses and teachers, too.It felt so perfect that some residents nicknamed it “Shangri-La.” That mix was also reflected in the architecture, and it’s for all these reasons that so many are moved to preserve it and bring back what is lost in the Eaton Fire. Guests: Steven Lewis, architect, consultant, Thinking Leadership, AIA, NOMAJessica Orlando, architect, Perkins & Will, AIAAlex Athenson, president and cofounder, The Foothill Catalog FoundationAltadena resident Keni Arts

It’s clear that some residents in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades will not be able to afford the rebuilding process — the costs or the time it will take. And beyond those practical concerns, there’s a bigger question for those who decide to stay: what will all the displacement mean for the greater community?It’s a question reverberating pretty loudly throughout both the Palisades and Altadena, but this next episode looks specifically at the latter. Before the fires, home ownership in the area was pretty high at around 71 percent, but a lot of these homes were passed down through generations, and may not have been covered by insurance. That makes Altadena particularly vulnerable. California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez oversees District 25, which includes Altadena, and joins us to talk about this, and how she fears the immigration raids in LA will impact the rebuilding process.  Guests: California State Senator Sasha Renée Perez Altadena resident Yasmin Sotomayor  

When the Eaton and Palisades fires started in January, the winter in Southern California had been extremely dry. Following two very wet years and the hot summer in 2024,  that meant the hillsides were covered with dry, desiccated grasses and chaparral. It was a lot of fuel for any fire. Layer in hurricane-force winds and disaster was pretty much inevitable.But that’s only part of the story. As we discussed in a previous episode, California already has a climate prone to catching fire. It has always burned and it always will. The hotter, drier days that are forecast to keep coming just exacerbate it.In this episode, we explore how a warming planet could increase conditions for urban conflagrations like the Palisades and Eaton fires to erupt — and what we can do to to live better, and safer, with a climate in which we know the winds will blow and another fire will start.First up, Altadena resident Kristin Sweredoski shares her story of why she decided pretty quickly to rebuild her home. Then, Rebuilding L.A. host Kate Cagle talks to L.A. Times Environment reporters Hayley Smith and Ian James about how climate change affected January’s fire, followed by UCLA climate scientist Alex Hall about the steps that could be taken by officials and individuals to reduce risks in these areas.Guests:Kristin Sweredoski, Altadena ResidentHayley Smith, Environment Reporter, L.A. TimesIan James, Staff Writer, focusing on water and climate change, L.A. TimesAlex Hall, Director, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability; Professor, Atmospheric and Oceanic SciencesSustainable LA Grand ChallengeClimate & Wildfire Research InitiativeThe Climate & Wildfire Research Initiative homepage. The CWRI is an initiative of the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge.

The first big city fire in modern history here was the Bel-Air Fire in 1961. It destroyed 484 homes and triggered regulations and new safety standards. The one thing that didn’t change though: real-estate development deeper and higher into the hills, creating an even greater risk. This isn’t just an issue in LA either. It happens all over California and other communities that have faced climate related devastation in states like Texas, Florida, and North Carolina.In this episode, we discuss the history here, what lessons were learned — and not — and how that can inform what we we do this time around as we attempt to rebuild Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.In this episode we will first hear from long-time Pacific Palisades resident Sue Kohl who raised her family here and currently serves as the president of the Palisades Town Council. Then we will turn to Jenny Jarvie, National Correspondent for the LA Times, and Char Miller, the W.M. Keck Professor of Environmental Analysis and History at Pomona College.

The Pacific Palisades and Altadena will rebuild. In fact, with debris clearance on track to wrap up by the end of the year, some residents have already begun the process. But for many, the path is less clear. There are a lot of questions about how we will bring back 16,000 homes, schools, businesses, and community centers, and rebuild two beloved and vibrant communities. Can people afford to rebuild? Do residents have the energy or the time? Is the soil safe? Can we build back better, and more fire resilient? LA Times reporter Liam Dillon joins us to talk about where we are in the moment as residents assess the path forward. How are people grappling with the decision to rebuild and, ultimately, what factors are playing into those plans? Also, Altadena resident and lawyer Kelsey Szamet shares her very personal story about her efforts to get back home to the town where she was born and raised, and now lives with her own family.

What’s next for L.A. in the wake of its recent wildfires? In “Rebuilding Los Angeles,” broadcast journalist Kate Cagle examines the systems that failed us, the path forward and the innovative fire recovery efforts making L.A. more resilient. You’ll also hear inspiring stories from real Angelenos working to restore their lives and rise from the ashes. “Rebuilding Los Angeles” is more than an essential resource for California — it’s a cautionary tale for everyone affected by climate change.