Nearly a year and a half after the Eaton and Palisades Fires destroyed much of Altadena, the Pacific Palisades, and Malibu, people are rebuilding their homes but many survivors are still unsure of their path forward. 2026 could be a pivotal year -- a year of personal, and political reckoning. Thousands of people have filed lawsuits over perceived failures by the city, the county, municipal agencies, and Altadena's main power utility, SoCal Edison. Any settlements from these cases could determine whether some people can afford to rebuild. There's also an election this fall in Los Angeles -- for mayor, L.A. City Council seats, and other races. The results of these could also impact the direction of the recovery. And hovering over all of this is the longstanding question: Are we building back better, and who exactly is in charge of answering that? Can residents and officials agree on some solutions, and find a way for people to safely return home? In the second season of Rebuilding L.A. from L.A. Times Studios, host Kate Cagle will dig into all these questions and more. The series returns April 8.
Nearly a year and a half after the Eaton and Palisades Fires destroyed much of Altadena, the Pacific Palisades, and Malibu, people are rebuilding their homes but many survivors are still unsure of their path forward. 2026 could be a pivotal year -- a year of personal, and political reckoning. Thousands of people have filed lawsuits over perceived failures by the city, the county, municipal agencies, and Altadena's main power utility, SoCal Edison. Any settlements from these cases could determine whether some people can afford to rebuild. There's also an election this fall in Los Angeles -- for mayor, L.A. City Council seats, and other races. The results of these could also impact the direction of the recovery. And hovering over all of this is the longstanding question: Are we building back better, and who exactly is in charge of answering that? Can residents and officials agree on some solutions, and find a way for people to safely return home? In the second season of Rebuilding L.A. from L.A. Times Studios, host Kate Cagle will dig into all these questions and more. The series returns April 8.