Fires in Los Angeles under control, but reopening of Palisades burn area postponed

The Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles have been fully contained after nearly a month of destruction, smoke, and ash. The fires, which started on Jan. 7 during a historic wind event, killed at least 29 people, burned over 37,000 acres, and destroyed homes and livelihoods in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. The blazes are currently under investigation and are the second and third most destructive wildfires in California history.
Pacific Coast Highway is set to partially reopen with one lane of traffic each way and reduced speed limits, while checkpoints in the Palisades area will remain in place under the control of the California Highway Patrol and National Guard. The continued checkpoints aim to address safety concerns in the burn area and ease the strain on law enforcement agencies.
Efforts to begin the rebuilding process are facing challenges as toxic debris from the fires remains in the burn areas. Residents are advised not to sift through the debris on their own due to its toxicity. Clean-up efforts following a similar wildfire in suburban Denver in 2021 took six months and required specialized contractors licensed to handle the waste. The priority now is to rapidly and safely rebuild the Palisades community.