Category Archives: Accidents/Fires

The Woolsey Fire Was the Warning, but Failure to Act on Lessons Learned Made Palisades Pay the Price

(Editor’s note: this story first appeared in the Westside Current on April 17 and is reprinted with permission.) By JAMIE PAIGE Woolsey Fire (2018): A Catastrophe Exposes Systemic Gaps When the Woolsey Fire ignited on November 8, 2018, it quickly … Continue reading

Posted in Accidents/Fires, General | 4 Comments

Corps Are Vital to the Rebuild and – They Recycle

The Army Corps of Engineers work seven days a week.  This editor visited with Colonel Brian Sawser, who is in charge of the Palisades operations, on March 23, a Sunday, and he was still working at 7 p.m. A few … Continue reading

Posted in Accidents/Fires, Palisades Fire | 11 Comments

Black Soot Water Fills the Santa Monica Canyon Flood Control Channel

There is an expression “speaking out of both sides of your mouth.” That was in evidence at the February 13, Pacific Palisades Community Council with Vahid Khorsand (Board of Public Works Director), Julie Allen (Assistant Director of LASAN), Ted Allen … Continue reading

Posted in Accidents/Fires, Environmental, Pacific Palisades Community Council, Palisades Fire | Leave a comment

 A Month Since the Palisades Fire: Examining City’s Initial Response

Even though there had been prior fires in the past two months in the Highlands area of Pacific Palisades and severe Santa Ana was predicted on January 6, it appears no prevention was in place and the reaction time to … Continue reading

Posted in Accidents/Fires, Palisades Fire | 8 Comments

Private versus County Preparing for Possible Mud Slides

Residents in one area of the Pacific Palisades Highlands are not waiting for the County and City to “save” them from possible mudslides. Of the 87 properties in this Highlands enclave, Palisades County Estates, 11 burned during the Palisades Fire. … Continue reading

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Officials Offer Aid and Try to Appease Those Who Lost Homes

By LAUREL BUSBY Contributing Writer   Hundreds of suffering residents of Pacific Palisades and other communities affected by the Palisades Fire convened on Thursday with officials from the LAPD, city, county, and state fire departments, FEMA, and state and federal … Continue reading

Posted in Accidents/Fires, Community | Leave a comment

Some Palisades Residents Allowed Back in Home

Palisades Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin sent email that as of noon on Friday, January 17,  some residents would be allowed back in the evacuation zone that was set up during the Palisades Fire. Only the areas on the Southern/Eastern … Continue reading

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If I Rebuild, What Happens to Assessed Value?

A reader sent the following query to Circling the News: “We owned a condo on Via de la Paz. The building is insured through the California Fair Plan. The property taxes are covered under Prop 13. “My question is: ‘would … Continue reading

Posted in Accidents/Fires, Real Estate | 1 Comment

FEMA Certified Pet Rescue Not Allowed in Palisades Fire. Why?

Those of us who were home when the evacuation notice was given for the Palisades Fire on January 7, were able to put our pets in the car and drive off. We were the lucky ones. Other residents who were … Continue reading

Posted in Accidents/Fires, Animals/Pets | 1 Comment

Palisades Honorary Mayors Among Those Who Lost Homes

By BERNICE FOX It is not an exaggeration when I write that every single person in our area has been affected by the devastating Palisades Fire. But since I generally cover entertainment, this story looks at the celebrity angle, specifically, … Continue reading

Posted in Accidents/Fires | 1 Comment