Public Service Announcement—Palisades Fire

[klpca]

This always happens. Not a surprise. In fact, I'm worried about valuables in the homes that survived. I'm starting to consider options for friends and family homes, and we may decide to have stuff put in secure storage rather than stay in the house. At least I'm becoming optimistic that the homes that have survived so far in our area will continue to survive. I just don't know how long it will take to resume utilities and other services, not to mention the complete lack of any businesses in the neighborhood and that impact on life. My parents want to return to their home soon and its become difficult to explain how that’s not a likely outcome.

Two San Diego communities near us suffered major fire losses in 2003 (Cedar fire - 2300 homes) and 2007 (Witch fire - 350 homes). Houses that survived the fires sat empty for quite a while because of lack of utilities in the neighborhoods. It was a really rough few years for many. Rebuilding was tough as well.

I am so sorry that your family has been affected. I hope that you can figure out the best way to move forward. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to do that later in life. It is just a terrible tragedy.

 

[Ken555]

Two San Diego communities near us suffered major fire losses in 2003 (Cedar fire - 2300 homes) and 2007 (Witch fire - 350 homes). Houses that survived the fires sat empty for quite a while because of lack of utilities in the neighborhoods. It was a really rough few years for many. Rebuilding was tough as well.

I am so sorry that your family has been affected. I hope that you can figure out the best way to move forward. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to do that later in life. It is just a terrible tragedy.

My primary concern right now is how my parents will cope without being in their home for an extended period.

In other news, we've had several new fires ignite in the last few hours. Family and friends of mine are affected, as well as closer to my home. I estimate there’s a 30-40% chance we might need to move my parents again from their hotel due to its proximity to the fire. Another friend, who lost her house in the Palisades, initially evacuated to Santa Monica, but they had to leave that area as well when it came under an evacuation order. Now, they are close to the new fire zone in the West Valley.

When will this dystopian movie end? I’m ready to change the channel.

 

[am1]

And now there are eyewitness accounts that in one of the newer fires last night carloads and scooters full of men were swarming in to loot homes even as people were rushing to get their families out. What is wrong with people?

With no real punishment of course people will steal. Some would steal from their own parents. Life in jail would be proper punishment?

 

[klpca]

My primary concern right now is how my parents will cope without being in their home for an extended period.

In other news, we've had several new fires ignite in the last few hours. Family and friends of mine are affected, as well as closer to my home. I estimate there’s a 30-40% chance we might need to move my parents again from their hotel due to its proximity to the fire. Another friend, who lost her house in the Palisades, initially evacuated to Santa Monica, but they had to leave that area as well when it came under an evacuation order. Now, they are close to the new fire zone in the West Valley.

When will this dystopian movie end? I’m ready to change the channel.

We felt that way in 2003. It was about 2 weeks of hell. And watching everyone else go through their days without much of a care was kind of upsetting and frustrating.

Any chance you can move people to San Diego for a week or two? So far there's no smoke or wind here (fingers crossed) and the stress level is fairly low. In 2003, My cousin and her husband took their asthmatic son to New Hampshire during the fires which seemed like overkill, but in retrospect it was a good move to just escape the stress. Everything was stalled during the fire anyway - it was a very inefficient time in San Diego - and it was a good time to be somewhere else.

 

[Ken555]

We felt that way in 2003. It was about 2 weeks of hell. And watching everyone else go through their days without much of a care was kind of upsetting and frustrating.

Any chance you can move people to San Diego for a week or two? So far there's no smoke or wind here (fingers crossed) and the stress level is fairly low. In 2003, My cousin and her husband took their asthmatic son to New Hampshire during the fires which seemed like overkill, but in retrospect it was a good move to just escape the stress. Everything was stalled during the fire anyway - it was a very inefficient time in San Diego - and it was a good time to be somewhere else.

The winds were kind last night and the fire did not threaten the area where my family is located. However, I believe if they had to leave they would go north to Santa Barbara, which is just outside the red flag area. San Diego would also be a good location, but is much further for them (they are already north of LA).

Amazingly, we received confirmation yesterday that the local synagogue escaped intact while homes directly next to it and across the small street are gone. My family has been members of this synagogue since 1965. You may see the video on this page:

Their Pacific Palisades synagogue is standing, but all three rabbis lost their homes

Three rabbis at Kehillat Israel lost homes to LA’s Palisades Fire, which is 0% contained. Wildfires have killed at least 10 people this week.

forward.com

 

[youppi]

This doesn't help
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-sopfeu-plane-grounded-1.7427777

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/10/us/super-scooper-drone-collision-la-fire-canada-hnk-intl/index.html

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Amazingly, we received confirmation yesterday that the local synagogue escaped intact while homes directly next to it and across the small street are gone. My family has been members of this synagogue since 1965. You may see the video on this page:

Their Pacific Palisades synagogue is standing, but all three rabbis lost their homes

Three rabbis at Kehillat Israel lost homes to LA’s Palisades Fire, which is 0% contained. Wildfires have killed at least 10 people this week.

forward.com

I saw this on the national news last night; it was one bright spot in a terrible situation. You and your family are in my thoughts.

 

[PigsDad]

Is there a web site that keeps updated maps of the fires?

Kurt

 

[VacationForever]

https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/california-fire-map/.

 

[Ken555]

Is there a web site that keeps updated maps of the fires?

Kurt

The best objective source is Watch Duty. Use this link and then expand the view to see all regional fires. Click on each to see latest news. Install the app to receive notifications or check more easily. Everyone I know in LA is now using this.

Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts

Real-time information about wildfire and firefighting efforts nearby

share.watchduty.org

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Two excellent articles in the WSJ about a middle class mobile home community that was lost, and the experience of a homeowners and how quickly it spread. (note: may be behind a paywall)

A Rare Middle-Class Paradise in L.A. Was Swept Away by Flames

Fire destroyed Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates, a mobile-home park that offered a middle-class beachfront life in the heart of a wealthy Los Angeles enclave.

www.wsj.com

Essay | Mourning Our Dream Home in the Pacific Palisades

I was sure the house my family loved was the last one I’d ever live in. Now I can hardly convince myself that it’s gone forever.

www.wsj.com

 

[Ken555]

Two excellent articles in the WSJ about a middle class mobile home community that was lost, and the experience of a homeowners and how quickly it spread. (note: may be behind a paywall)

A Rare Middle-Class Paradise in L.A. Was Swept Away by Flames

Fire destroyed Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates, a mobile-home park that offered a middle-class beachfront life in the heart of a wealthy Los Angeles enclave.

www.wsj.com

Essay | Mourning Our Dream Home in the Pacific Palisades

I was sure the house my family loved was the last one I’d ever live in. Now I can hardly convince myself that it’s gone forever.

www.wsj.com

Paseo Miramar is a beautiful area, with expansive vistas. I had numerous friends that lived there when I was young, as my parents live just a few minutes away.

Another article about the other mobile home community gone, this one by Temescal.

Shark Tank Investor Barbara Corcoran Reveals She Lost Mobile Home in L.A. Fires: 'My Little Slice of Heaven'

“The beloved Tahitian Terrace Mobile Home Park in Pacific Palisades, my little slice of heaven, was entirely destroyed,” Barbara Corcoran confirmed in an Instagram post on Jan. 9

people.com

 

[Ken555]

This is a high res view of most of the Palisades. Zoom in to see details.

Los Angeles Palisades Fire, 2025-01-10 10:36 AM Pacific

 

[WaikikiFirst]

high res view of most of the Palisades. Zoom in

Those who keep thinking / writing "Things are so different from when I grew up in SoCal", do this. I did this days ago using google maps satellite view & street view.

Look at how close these 2 story houses are to each other. It is absolutely no surprise that they basically all burn together. On google, it looked like there was at most 20 ft between 2 story houses. I swear it looks like it could be less.
Were there many many hoods in these areas "when you were growing up" that had 2 story houses packed so close together?

Look at the % of the surface area of the lot that the footprint of the house covers. Is that how it was when you "were growing up there"?
and when I looked on google street-view, I would say easily 25% of the lots had tall trees right up against the houses and many overhanging the roofs.

The people at the "fire protection districts" must go crazy about this stuff. for people who don't know what FPDs are in CA https://bvwd.ca.gov/file.axd?file=/BlogFiles/BVWD/About-Special-Districts-Guide.pdf
I assume almost the entire or the entire state of CA is within a FPD. Here is one: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/sdcfa/

 

[WaikikiFirst]

for a little insight to CA FPDs, a top person in our FPD told me
"We have the power to tell people to fix a dangerous situation, but we have NO power to stop people from creating dangerous situations."
iow, Trees = LANDSCAPING, so really nobody but a civil court has power to stop dangerous planting of trees, unless a city council decides to pass specific laws
Building structures is under zoning & permitted by the Building & Planning Dept. The FPD had no power over the permitting and it is like swatting flies for them to find out about and go after dangerous structures.

CA want fewer, smaller fires? Give the FPDs upfront vetoes over permits for both structures and landscaping. Nah. Too obvious. Not a priority.

 

[mountainboy]

Two excellent articles in the WSJ about a middle class mobile home community that was lost, and the experience of a homeowners and how quickly it spread. (note: may be behind a paywall)

A Rare Middle-Class Paradise in L.A. Was Swept Away by Flames

Fire destroyed Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates, a mobile-home park that offered a middle-class beachfront life in the heart of a wealthy Los Angeles enclave.

www.wsj.com

Essay | Mourning Our Dream Home in the Pacific Palisades

I was sure the house my family loved was the last one I’d ever live in. Now I can hardly convince myself that it’s gone forever.

www.wsj.com

Gifting unlocked article to TUG community

A Rare Middle-Class Paradise in L.A. Was Swept Away by Flames

Fire destroyed Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates, a mobile-home park that offered a middle-class beachfront life in the heart of a wealthy Los Angeles enclave.

www.wsj.com

 

[Luanne]

Those who keep thinking / writing "Things are so different from when I grew up in SoCal", do this. I did this days ago using google maps satellite view & street view.

Look at how close these 2 story houses are to each other. It is absolutely no surprise that they basically all burn together. On google, it looked like there was at most 20 ft between 2 story houses. I swear it looks like it could be less.
Were there many many hoods in these areas "when you were growing up" that had 2 story houses packed so close together?

Look at the % of the surface area of the lot that the footprint of the house covers. Is that how it was when you "were growing up there"?
and when I looked on google street-view, I would say easily 25% of the lots had tall trees right up against the houses and many overhanging the roofs.

The people at the "fire protection districts" must go crazy about this stuff. for people who don't know what FPDs are in CA https://bvwd.ca.gov/file.axd?file=/BlogFiles/BVWD/About-Special-Districts-Guide.pdf
I assume almost the entire or the entire state of CA is within a FPD. Here is one: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/sdcfa/

What I meant when I said it was different from when I grew up in Southern California is the number of fires, not the number of homes.

 

[Ken555]

Those who keep thinking / writing "Things are so different from when I grew up in SoCal", do this. I did this days ago using google maps satellite view & street view.

Look at how close these 2 story houses are to each other. It is absolutely no surprise that they basically all burn together. On google, it looked like there was at most 20 ft between 2 story houses. I swear it looks like it could be less.
Were there many many hoods in these areas "when you were growing up" that had 2 story houses packed so close together?

Look at the % of the surface area of the lot that the footprint of the house covers. Is that how it was when you "were growing up there"?
and when I looked on google street-view, I would say easily 25% of the lots had tall trees right up against the houses and many overhanging the roofs.

The people at the "fire protection districts" must go crazy about this stuff. for people who don't know what FPDs are in CA https://bvwd.ca.gov/file.axd?file=/BlogFiles/BVWD/About-Special-Districts-Guide.pdf
I assume almost the entire or the entire state of CA is within a FPD. Here is one: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/sdcfa/

That's an extremely simplistic explanation for a complex issue, which ignores numerous other contributing factors. Sorry I don't have the time to respond more fully.

 

[Ken555]

 

[DeniseM]

Back in my day....

 

[Brett]

Gifting unlocked article to TUG community

A Rare Middle-Class Paradise in L.A. Was Swept Away by Flames

Fire destroyed Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates, a mobile-home park that offered a middle-class beachfront life in the heart of a wealthy Los Angeles enclave.

www.wsj.com

Thanks - interesting article
Hoping the Palisades mobile home owners have some insurance

 

[klpca]

My "acquaintance", actually my daughter's childhood best friend, just let us know that they lost their home. The pictures are just devastating. At least they were able to evacuate safely.

On the good side, my husband's cousin's neighbor (Alta Dena) hiked into their neighborhood to avoid the road closures and says that he "thinks" that his house is ok. It is standing, at least - no idea if the inside burned. He thinks that even if it survived, they'll be unable to return to his home for about 6 months because they can't turn the utilities back on for quite awhile, then it will need some type of interior remediation.

It is so sad when you lose your home, your place of safety and sanctuary.

 

[RENTER]

Have you seen that video of a couple returning to their home with their adult children to find out they lost everything except for a statue of the Virgin Mary. Then they all sang a song dedicated to her. They were good singers.

 

[Ken555]

 

[Ken555]

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This is Randy, who was played by Ryan Reynolds in the movie Woman in Gold.