Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, January 7, 202
- One year ago today, two fires erupted in Los Angeles County. The Palisades and Eaton fires would eventually become two of the most destructive and deadly fires in state history. Thousands of homes were destroyed and 31 people were killed. The rebuilding process has been slow in both Altadena and Pacific Palisades, the communities most greatly impacted by the fires. We wanted to get the perspective from longtime residents who are part of that process.
- Residents in the north state are likely to see a flurry of elections for Congress this year, after the passing of longtime Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa.
LA County Residents Express Hope On One Year Anniversary Of Fires
On the first anniversary of the most destructive wildfires in the L.A. area, the scant home construction projects stand out among the still mostly flattened landscapes.
Fewer than a dozen homes have been rebuilt in Los Angeles County since the Jan. 7, 2025, Palisades and Eaton fires erupted, killing 31 people and destroying about 13,000 homes and other residential properties. The fires burned for more than three weeks and clean-up efforts took about seven months.
Jessica Rogers is a longtime resident who lost her home in the Palisades Fire. She’s now part of leadership team with the Palisades Long-Term Recovery Group. “We have a very resilient community. A hopeful community. An inspired community. a disaster of this size cannot be solved with the village. We need the nation,” she said. “And so we are looking to all of our disaster voluntary organizations to lock arms with us and fight with us to help the most vulnerable, who cannot come home without assistance.”
The entire bipartisan California Congressional delegation is urging President Trump to provide federal disaster relief funding and resources to help Los Angeles County communities rebuild and recover. California has asked for more than $33 billion in federal disaster aid for the fires.
Northern California Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa Dies At 65
Republican lawmaker Doug LaMalfa, a rice farmer who represented rural Northern California in Congress for more than a decade, has died. LaMalfa, 65, was in his seventh term representing many of the state’s northernmost counties. He was elected to the House in 2012 after serving in both the state Assembly and Senate.
