LOS ANGELES – Mayor Bass issued the following statement:
“One year ago, the City of Los Angeles faced the most destructive wildfire in our history. Twelve lives were tragically lost, thousands of homes were destroyed, and too many families remain displaced.
“We remember all that was lost – the twelve lives, the childhood homes, the irreplaceable family photos and heirlooms, the community spaces that connected generations of Palisades residents. We remember the brave firefighters and first responders who fought tirelessly for weeks on end away from their families. We are also clear-eyed about the lessons learned.
“There are no words to articulate the unimaginable trauma, grief, and exhaustion felt by the Palisades community – exacerbated by constant headlines along with delays, underpayments, and denials from insurance providers.
“This anniversary forces us to face the trauma head-on. As we collectively mourn, the pain remains palpable. But so does something else now: hope and resolve.
“Over the past year, Palisades residents have demonstrated a level of resilience and collective strength that has shown the entire country who Los Angeles is at its core. We don’t turn away from our neighbors in their most challenging moments. We come together to support one another, to forge the path forward. To rebuild even stronger than before.
“Full recovery is a long-term, multi-year effort that must leverage innovative solutions to protect the community for the future in the face of more frequent and severe climate threats. We must continue working together alongside the Palisades community and across every level of government, philanthropy, the insurance industry, and the business sector to build on the progress we’ve made and to advocate for what needs to change, including insurance and mortgage forbearance policies and other reforms necessary to support long-term recovery.
"I remain committed to continuing to use the full-force of my mayoral power to restore the Palisades community and return families home as quickly and safely as possible.”