Some homeowners in areas of California with high wildfire risk could eventually get money for new roofs or to build fire-resistant zones around their properties under a new state law that went into effect Friday.

The Safe Homes grant program is designed to help low- and middle-income homeowners with fire mitigation. People who qualify could use grants to create 5-foot ember-resistant zones around properties, also known as Zone Zero, as required by law in some areas. The program will also contribute toward costs for fire-safe roofs.

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.

Residents of communities directly impacted by the Eaton Fire have begun receiving financial compensation from Southern California Edison’s, the utility announced Tuesday.

The Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program launched on Oct. 29. So far, residents have submitted more than 1,500 claims, with offers extended and accepted and additional payments made by year-end, company officials said.

“We are grateful to community partners — neighbors, local organizations and first responders — for their tireless efforts to support recovery,” Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, SCE’s parent company, said in a statement. “We committed to helping quickly, too, delivering offers within 90 days and payments within 30 days. Today, we’re making good on that promise in a fraction of the time, providing much-needed payments when the community needs it most.”

• Zaire Calvin grew up in Altadena. For nearly a year since the Eaton fire destroyed his town, he has become a voice for his community.

• His mom bought his childhood home in the 1970s when Altadena was one of the few places Black families could own properties. Years ago, he bought the house next door. Both homes are gone now.

• Rebuilding momentum is accelerating in Palisades and Altadena, with about 12% to 13% of destroyed homes receiving permits as of December, up from a slow start.

• Both communities’ recovery pace falls between Santa Rosa’s rapid 27% permit rate and Paradise’s slower 3%, showing mid-range progress rebuilding.

• Fire victims face significant obstacles: understaffing at city agencies, supply chain delays, insurance gaps, and a strained labor market slowing construction timelines.

• The Collaboratory, an Altadena disaster relief hub, opened in October to house nonprofits serving fire survivors still rebuilding after January’s Eaton fire.

• The hub consolidates scattered aid for housing, mental health and permitting to address the complex needs survivors face.

• As charitable attention fades, the Collaboratory is a critical lifeline for those still at risk of community displacement.

The first thing you see when you walk into the Collaboratory in Altadena is a wall of devastation. A floor-to-ceiling map of every lot lost to the Eaton fire in January — 9,413 structures. Each marked with a red dot on a grid of streets that have looked like a charred moonscape for 11 months.

The wall is a harrowing depiction of loss in the Eaton fire. But one turn to the right, and hope kicks back in.