18 Months Later Thousands of Survivors Are Still Displaced, Contamination Persists

Eighteen months after the Eaton and Palisades fires, 2 out of 3 survivors have not returned home, just over 100 homes in Eaton and about 30 in Palisades have been rebuilt, and thousands of standing-home survivors are still fighting insurers to restore homes impacted by toxic ash, smoke, and contamination. At the same time, policyholders are running out of Additional Living Expense benefits. Renters remain especially vulnerable because landlords are not required to test beyond visible wildfire debris, leaving many units without the asbestos, lead, and indoor-contamination abatement needed for safe return. Many residents also have not been adequately counseled on the importance of testing and remediating contaminated soil before rebuilding, creating the risk that contamination could be re-suspended and affect neighboring properties. Pasadena Unified schools have still largely not been tested indoors for asbestos and lead, while PUSD is removing trees to address contaminated soil as directed through DTSC, despite DTSC’s August 22, 2025 LA Fire guidance identifying phytoremediation as an acceptable soil-recovery option.