A Close Brush With Loss for a Community That Knows It Well

A Close Brush With Loss for a Community That Knows It Well

John Ward and his wife, Dawn Holder, were already packed and ready to go on Tuesday afternoon. The fire was then a 30-minute drive away, in the Pacific Palisades, and there were no evacuation orders. But the winds were fierce, and their mobile home park in the suburb of Sylmar had burned to the ground … Read more

‘Will Pay Any Amount’: Private Firefighters Are in Demand in L.A.

‘Will Pay Any Amount’: Private Firefighters Are in Demand in L.A.

Monument Street, which cuts through the center of Pacific Palisades, tells two starkly different stories of the fire that has engulfed the community. On one side, lots where multimillion-dollar houses once stood are now ash and rubble. On the other, an outdoor shopping mall whose tenants include Chanel, the men’s clothier Buck Mason and an … Read more

An Expert Explains Palisades Fire’s Behavior

An Expert Explains Palisades Fire’s Behavior

The Palisades fire continues to challenge firefighters. The fire’s northern edge is the area of biggest concern, from Mandeville Canyon on the northeastern side to Monte Nido on the northwestern edge and the Topanga area and Sylvia Park that fall between, said Robert Clark, a fire behavior analyst for Cal Fire on Incident Management Team … Read more

Before Taking Office, L.A.’s Mayor Said She Would Not Go Abroad

Before Taking Office, L.A.’s Mayor Said She Would Not Go Abroad

After the first rally in her campaign for mayor of Los Angeles in 2021, Karen Bass spoke candidly about what she saw as a potential drawback to the job — a lack of world travel and involvement in global affairs. Ms. Bass was accustomed to circling the globe as a Democratic member of Congress and … Read more

‘Will Pay Any Amount:’ Private Firefighters Are in Demand in L.A.

‘Will Pay Any Amount:’ Private Firefighters Are in Demand in L.A.

Monument Street, which cuts through the center of Pacific Palisades, tells two starkly different stories of the fire that has engulfed the community. On one side, lots where multimillion-dollar houses once stood are now ash and rubble. On the other, an outdoor shopping mall whose tenants include Chanel, the men’s clothier Buck Mason and an … Read more

Stronger Santa Ana Winds to Return, With ‘Extreme’ Upgrade Possible

Stronger Santa Ana Winds to Return, With ‘Extreme’ Upgrade Possible

Winds picked up again early on Sunday across Southern California, reaching close to 70 miles an hour near the western and eastern San Gabriel Mountains and the Highway 14 corridor. By the afternoon the winds are forecast to ease for a while, giving firefighters a reprieve to battle devastating wildfires. But that reprieve might not … Read more

Palisades Lost – The New York Times

Palisades Lost - The New York Times

This weekend was supposed to be an ordinary one in Pacific Palisades. Boy Scout Troop 223 was planning a weekend camp-out at Malibu Creek. The local youth baseball tryouts were scheduled at Palisades Recreation Center’s Field of Dreams. Sunday morning was a time for the farmer’s market just off Sunset Boulevard, for picking over produce … Read more

The Eaton Fire Is Now One of California’s Deadliest

The Eaton Fire Is Now One of California’s Deadliest

Late Saturday, the Los Angeles county medical examiner said that 11 people had been killed in the Eaton fire. It makes that blaze, near Pasadena, among the deadliest in California history. Five people are also confirmed dead in the Palisades fire, bringing the total death toll for the series of blazes raging across Los Angeles … Read more

Synagogue Congregation Grieves in New Home After L.A. Fires

Synagogue Congregation Grieves in New Home After L.A. Fires

Rabbi Gold Jill Wright looked out at her congregation Friday night and uttered a simple statement, with a significant pause. “I noticed that you are … here.” That was because under the bright lights in the theater of the Mayfield Senior School, a Catholic school in Pasadena, members of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center … Read more