NEWS stories


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California homeowners could qualify for grants for new roofs and fire safety

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.

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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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These hidden rules reveal how California insurers undercut wildfire claims, leaving families in damaged homes

As flames incinerated whole blocks in Southern California, fierce winds pushed dark, speckled ash through Rossana Valverde’s door frames, windows and vents. Her home stood a short drive from the worst destruction caused by January’s Eaton Fire, but she had gotten lucky: Apart from a singed tree, her property appeared unscathed.

Yet the acrid stench in the bungalow she shared with her husband suggested otherwise. The remains of other people’s homes now permeated hers.

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California regulators order Edison to look for fire risks on its old transmission lines

  • State regulators ordered Edison to assess fire risks on 355 miles of unused transmission lines, including the century-old equipment suspected of igniting the Eaton fire.

  • Edison must create a plan to address those idle lines, potentially including removal, marking the first major regulatory action related to electric infrastructure after the fire killed 19 people.

  • Regulators are requiring other California utilities to take similar actions with their dormant transmission lines.

State regulators ordered Southern California Edison to identify fire risks on its unused transmission lines like the century-old equipment suspected of igniting the devastating Eaton wildfire.

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L.A. fire cleanups reports describe repeated violations, illegal dumping allegation

  • Federal oversight reports allege that the main contractor hired to clean up the Eaton and Palisades fires may have illegally dumped toxic ash, reused contaminated soil and cut corners.

  • Inspectors documented crews moving fire debris onto neighboring properties, burying ash and burned materials to avoid full removal, re-contaminating “cleared” lots and spraying polluted water into storm drains.

  • Despite warnings about lead and other toxins, FEMA refused to fund post-fire soil testing. State agencies are noncommittal about how they will handle such testing in the future.

The primary federal contractor entrusted with purging fire debris from the Eaton and Palisades fires may have illegally dumped toxic ash and misused contaminated soil in breach of state policy, according to federal government reports recently obtained by The Times.

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So Cal Edison Announces First Payments Issued by Eaton Fire Compensation Program

Southern California Edison said the first payment in its Wildfire Recovery was made last week, 45 days after the program’s launch on October 29. The program provides compensation to community members directly impacted by the Eaton Fire.

SCE reported that more than 1,500 claims have been submitted. As of Dec. 15, the company listed 1,551 total claims; 3,293 claimants and household members involved; 27 offers extended; and one payment made.

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‘You can’t dispute ash’: Eaton Fire survivors battle invisible damage

Nearly a year after California’s Eaton Fire, some survivors say their homes look untouched but are contaminated by toxic smoke and ash. As Southern California Edison faces scrutiny over the fire’s cause, families are weighing settlement offers against the mounting costs of cleanup and long-term health risks.

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Some Eaton Fire survivors have been sleeping in their cars; group calls on Edison for housing relief

Gabriel Gonzalez, a Southern California native and Eaton Fire survivor had not publicly shared what life has been like for him over the last year, until today.

"I spent probably eight months out of the year in my car, having difficulty finding showers, finding anything," said Gonzalez.

Nearly one year since the Eaton Fire, roughly 80% of families remain displaced. Tuesday, a coalition of survivors, non-profits, and community leaders called on Southern California Edison to further help in housing relief.

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Pasadena Unified Details Toxic Soil Removal Plans for San Rafael Elementary School Campus

Pasadena Unified School District said new soil testing at San Rafael has confirmed the need for soil removal and replacement after City of Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) county-recommended post-Eaton Fire sampling found lead at concentrations exceeding Department of Toxic Substances Control screening levels in two Pasadena communities within district boundaries, according to information the district released Friday.

The district said the additional testing followed Los Angeles County Department of Public Health soil sampling results. Pasadena Unified conducted additional soil testing across all campuses, and initial testing at San Rafael identified areas of soil requiring additional assessment within the play field and two planter areas along the north and east boundaries of the school.

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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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