NEWS stories


Banner on Rose Parade float calls for Eaton Fire inquiry from California AG Rob Bonta

A banner calling for an investigation into the Eaton Fire response from Los Angeles County officials was briefly spotted at the Rose Parade in Pasadena on Thursday. Tom Wait speaks with the people behind the statement and what they hope to change with their call to action.

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Fire Response, Government Efram Potelle Fire Response, Government Efram Potelle

Times Investigation: LAFD report on Palisades fire was watered down, records show

  • The Times obtained seven drafts of the LAFD’s after-action report on the Palisades fire.

  • Deletions and revisions in the drafts amounted to an effort to downplay the failures of city and LAFD leadership.

  • The most significant edits involved the LAFD’s deployment decisions before the fire, as the wind warnings became increasingly dire.

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Huge budgets cuts, enrollment drops: Pasadena schools struggle to rebuild after Eaton fire

  • Five public or charter schools burned or sustained severe damage in the Eaton fire, and about 1,100 Pasadena Unified students lost homes.

  • Teachers deploy art and music programs to help students cope with the trauma of the January blaze.

  • School board members of Pasadena Unified, which faces a multimillion-dollar deficit, voted to approve $24.5 million in budget cuts for the 2026-27 academic year.

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L.A.’s hydrants ran dry during the fires. Residents are still demanding solutions

  • The deadly wildfires in January revealed the limitations of Southern California’s water systems. When the overtaxed systems lost pressure, fire hydrants ran dry.

  • Nearly a year later, residents and experts are weighing solutions that would make more water available for firefighting, including installing cisterns, tapping water from swimming pools, or even turning to mobile pumps and pipes that could quickly route water where it’s needed.

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