Pacific Palisades Marks One-Year Anniversary of Devastating 2025 Fire with Protest Rally and Evening Memorial

Pacific Palisades, CA - January 7, 2026 - Hundreds of residents gathered today in Palisades Village for the "They Let Us Burn" rally, a community-led protest on the exact one-year anniversary of the deadly Palisades Fire that ignited on January 7, 2025.

The fire, which burned over 23,000 acres, destroyed thousands of homes and claimed multiple lives, has left survivors frustrated with slow rebuilding efforts, permitting delays, and what organizers describe as inadequate government response and accountability.

The rally, organized by the Palisades Fire Residents Coalition, ran from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the heart of Palisades Village, near Antioch Street and Swarthmore Avenue. Attendees wore "They Let Us Burn" T-shirts and held signs demanding faster recovery aid, streamlined rebuilding permits, and investigations into alleged delays in initial firefighting efforts.Speakers included affected homeowners, local business owners, celebrities Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, and Councilmember Traci Park. A solemn moment featured family members of victims ringing a bell in remembrance of those who perished. Live reports described a charged atmosphere of anger toward state and local officials, with chants directed at Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin reported from the scene, noting widespread rage among participants and thousands in attendance wearing protest shirts.

The day of remembrance continues this evening with a separate event hosted by developer Rick Caruso. At 6:30 p.m., three beams of light will be illuminated at Palisades Village as a memorial tribute, inviting the community to reflect on lives lost and the ongoing rebuilding process. Caruso, whose properties were impacted by the fire, extended a public invitation via social media for residents to join in honoring the anniversary.

Rebuilding in the fire-ravaged areas remains slow, with reports indicating fewer than a dozen homes granted full rebuild permits amid bureaucratic hurdles and rising costs. Survivors continue to call for greater support as the community works toward recovery.

"One year later post fire lots have fallen 30 to 40% in value," said Padawer of .com. "They pass ordinance after ordinance to blame us and make it harder for us. So does that sound like a profiteer to you? I didn’t feel like one. One side holds all the power, we’re the definition of victims. But we’re also survivors."

Jeremy Padawer's list of Ten imperatives

1. No sales tax on the rebuild. $20 billion to rebuild each town, Malibu and Palisades. That’s $40 billion 2. No permitting fees on the rebuild. It’s been a year, they should not be rewarded for making us rebuild by burning us down. 3. No property tax on homes until we have certificates of occupancy. 4. Mansion tax: A ULA holiday for 5 years. ULA tax disproportionately affects those who have to move. 5. Police in a Palisades Station. We had one car on loan from LAPD. Have you ever even seen police in the palisades

6. Brush clearance, we need a clear plan and future clearance, not "natural forest management." 7. Budget transparency. How much does PP pay into the city, and what do we receive in services? We don’t have $5000 to fix potholes. 8. Electrical under grounding. Bury the lines now. It isn’t just an eyesore. Bury our lines, they helped perpetuate this fire

9. Future Evacuation planning. It was a debacle that day. 10. Insurance planning. Insurance isn’t tough because of climate change. It’s tough because our leadership accepts zero accountability.

11. Settle the lawsuit. This will be the largest tort action against a municipality of all time. Settle it, Newsom and Bass!"