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Palisades Fire: 7 months later
Researcher estimates wildlife deaths from Jan. 2025 may be 10 times higher than what was publicly reported by Los Angeles County.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - A new $1 million initiative was announced by Rick Caruso’s Steadfast LA on Wednesday to help business owners impacted by January’s LA fires.
"The emotional impact on tens of thousands of people who lost their homes and businesses is huge," said Caruso. "We’ve got to do more."
Steadfast LA and Banc of California are teaming up for the relief fund to try and assist locally owned businesses. Through the program, approved impacted business owners in Altadena, Pacific Palisades, and Malibu can receive up to $50,000.
Thursday marks seven months since the devastating L.A. wildfires, but for many, emotional fires still smolder.
"It’s depressing," said Gordon Wong, owner of Knolls Pharmacy in Pacific Palisades. "It’s really hard. It’s like your child, like you lost a child, and you saw it grow up all these years."
Wong owned Knolls Pharmacy for 36 years, but it burned to the ground in January within hours.
"Years of memories, that’s what it is," said Wong. "It’s just a really tough, long journey for everyone."
January’s Palisades and Eaton Fires destroyed a combined 16,000 structures while claiming the lives of 31 people.
"In contrast, we estimate at least 440 deaths in Los Angeles County, just over those first four weeks," said Andrew Stokes.
Stokes is a mortality demographer and assistant professor at Boston University. He and a team of researchers released a new study this week, estimating the number of LA fire deaths to be 440, instead of the official tally of 31.
"It’s because the Medical Examiner’s Office, they’re only able to diagnose wildfire deaths due to direct exposure and burns," said Stokes. "The true number includes those who died from toxic constituents and particles in the wildfire smoke, as well as people who died from the indirect consequences of the wildfires."
Caruso says more needs to be done to help those who lost homes and businesses in L.A. fire burn zones. According to Wong, he has felt ignored.
"The city should be able to do more," said Wong. "They’re kind of like a ghost that disappeared on us."
"There’s a lack of urgency, there’s a lack of focus," said Caruso. "Nobody in the city has ever reached out to him and said, ‘How can we help, support you, cut through your permit process?’ That needs to be a daily occurrence."
If you’re a business owner impacted by the fires and would like to apply for the relief funds, click HERE.