Rebuilding L.A.

• About One-third of Malibu Burned In The Palisades Fire. Where Does It Go From Here?

  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

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• Tapped Out: What We've Learned About Why A Key Reservoir Was Empty When The Fires Came

  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

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• From free consultations to pre-approved plans inspired by a Sears catalog, local architects help Altadena rebuild

  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

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• How Developers, Insurers, and ICE Raids are Impacting the Altadena Rebuild

  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  

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• High Temps, Dry Brush, and Winds. How We Can Live Smarter In the Face of Climate-Fueled Fires.

  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.

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