La wildfire recovery stalled: only seven of 13,000 destroyed homes rebuilt one year later

A year after catastrophic wildfires tore through Los Angeles County, claiming at least 31 lives and destroying 13,000 homes, the recovery remains painfully slow. According to the Associated Press, fewer than a dozen homes have been fully rebuilt, with LA County reporting just seven completed residences despite receiving nearly 3,000 rebuilding applications.

The 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires may rank as the costliest disaster in U.S. history, with economic damages reaching an estimated $275 billion. The blazes displaced roughly 100,000 people and obliterated entire neighborhoods within hours, exacerbating California’s existing housing shortage of nearly 840,000 homes. While state officials have streamlined permitting processes and waived environmental reviews to accelerate reconstruction—issuing 2,617 permits compared to just 385 after the 2018 Camp Fire—only about 900 homes are currently under construction.

Multiple factors continue hampering recovery efforts. Toxic debris cleanup can take months, while the complex permitting process averages 95 business days for new residential construction. Labor shortages, rising material costs due to federal tariffs, and immigration enforcement reducing available construction workers further slow progress. Many residents face delayed insurance payouts or lack coverage entirely, with at least 600 homeowners already choosing to sell their damaged properties rather than rebuild.

The sluggish recovery highlights a troubling reality: despite political pressure and streamlined processes, California’s rebuilding infrastructure remains inadequate for the scale of wildfire destruction facing the state as climate change intensifies fire risks.