6 months later: Eaton Fire victims continue to face challenges
Fire victims continue battling with insurance companies
State and local officials will head to the Eaton and Palisades fire zones six months after the fires first erupted. Many homeowners said the road to recovery has been frustrating.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - Monday marks six months since the Eaton Fire first erupted in the San Gabriel Mountains and devastated the Altadena community.
What we know:
The Eaton Fire destroyed over 9,000 structures and damaged another thousand in its path. Officials said the blaze torched 14,021 acres and took the lives of 18 people.
Overall, the Eaton Fire was the fifth-deadliest and second-most destructive in state history.
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Impacted residents face challenges
As residents navigate the long road to recovery, many said they continue to face many challenges.
Apparently, they're not alone, as victims of the Palisades Fire said they've experienced similar frustrations.
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Thousands of residents said they have been left in limbo by insurance companies and are asking state officials to do more.
Last month, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Bargar said 88% of fire-damaged properties were cleared of debris by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The other side:
On Monday, State Farm issued a press release and said they are still actively working to help wildfire victims.
The company said it had received almost 13,000 claims related to the January wildfires and paid over $4.2 billion to its California customers.
Altadena resident discusses rebuilding life 6 months after Eaton Fire
The Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of homes in Altadena. One of them belonged to Steven Scipio, whose family has called Altadena their home for over five decades. He joined FOX 11 just a week after losing everything. Now six months later, he's back to share his family's journey of rebuilding life from the ground up.
"We evaluate each claim, including smoke claims, on a case-by-case basis. We’re committed to providing every customer all the benefits they have available through their policy," State Farm said. "We will continue to work alongside regulators, policymakers and industry leaders to create a sustainable insurance environment in California."
Click here to read the full press release.
Community enters restoration phase
What's next:
At a news conference at Pasadena Community College, Gov. Gavin Newsom outlined steps as the region enters what he called the "restoration phase," with plans to lower construction costs, reduce property taxes and expedite rebuilding.
"I'm grateful that we're here. Altadena, in particular, is a special community," Newsom said. "In Altadena, the average life lost is 77 years old. We had great grandparents, not just grandparents, and we had a father and a son that died. Brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles that perished in this fire."
'What a disgrace', Newsom said about MacArthur Park ICE raid
Gov. Gavin Newsom was in Los Angeles to mark six months since the Palisades and Eaton fires erupted. But while in Altadena, Newsom lashed out about the large ICE raid that was happening in MacArthur Park.
"I hope it puts in perspective the moment we're in," he added. "I hope it also puts in perspective how blessed we are to be here... and to have the opportunity to be part of this recovery."
Newsom said recovery efforts will prioritize restoring community focal points alongside individual homes. He was expected to sign executive orders Monday expanding Coastal Act and California Environmental Quality Act exemptions to speed up rebuilding of homes and schools, exempting fire-affected homes from select building codes to avoid delays, while still requiring compliance with local zoning rules.
Blueprint for rebuilding
On Monday, LA County officials also released a new blueprint to expedite rebuilding and cut costs for residents.
In partnership with the state, the blueprint, titled "Forward: Blueprint for Rebuilding", aims to do the following:
- Waiving requirements and lowering rebuilding costs
- Expediting property tax relief
- Accelerating permitting and inspections
- Undergrounding overhead utilities
The county also plans to launch AI-powered software on July 15 and hire additional staff to meet increased permitting and rebuilding demand.
The Source: Information for this story came from interviews with victims of the Palisades and Eaton fires and previous FOX 11 reports. City News Service contributed to this report.