Long-awaited reports outline problems with Palisades infrastructure
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A long-awaited set of reports on how to build a fire-resilient Pacific Palisades, commissioned by Los Angeles city officials for $5 million, found that much of the hilly enclave remains out of compliance with standards for evacuating during a disaster.The reports, by the city and the global infrastructure firm AECOM, also recommended that the city complete significant brush clearance work, bolster its water system and move electrical wires underground.All of the recommendations are frequent asks from Palisades residents.
Many have already been discussed at length by independent experts.They will inform the city’s Long-Term Recovery Plan for rebuilding infrastructure and improving wildfire resilience after the Palisades fire killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in January 2025.The reports outlined nearly a billion dollars in infrastructure projects through 2033, including more than $650 million for electrical undergrounding and $150 million for water system repairs.
“Full recovery is a long-term, multi-year effort that requires sustained coordination — and it must continue to be community-led,” Mayor Karen Bass wrote in a Tuesday newsletter to Palisades residents that included links to the reports.“This past year has been unimaginable for the Palisades community, but I remain committed to supporting you through every step of the recovery.”She noted that the Long-Term Recovery Plan would be finalized “in the months ahead.”A month after the fire, Bass selected Illinois-based Hagerty Consulting to work on fire recovery under a yearlong contract for up to $10 million.However, in June, Bass announced that AECOM would develop a recovery plan for the city.
Hagerty, which had struggled to explain its role at community meetings, ultimately focused on debris removal logistics and finished its work in December, billing the city $3.5 million.California To suppl...