The recent wildfires in Los Angeles have devastated communities, causing significant loss of life and property. The author argues that the disaster was preventable due to years of warnings about the risk of catastrophic wildfires and the failure of local and state leaders to take adequate precautions.
The Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles , Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. In the last few days, Los Angeles has experienced what may become the most expensive and destructive wildfire catastrophe in U.S. history. Entire communities in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena, and Altadena have been decimated, with at least ten lives lost and thousands of structures reduced to rubble.
It is bitterly ironic that days before the fires, Governor Newsom held a press conference trumpeting the still-incomplete, multi–billion dollar high-speed rail project. Meanwhile, water reservoirs in Pacific Palisades were drained for repairs, leaving hydrants dry when we needed them most. When asked about his plan to address firefighting resources, the governor deflected, saying “local folks are gonna figure it out.” True leadership means stepping up in a crisis, not passing the buck.
Equally troubling is the broader insurance calamity now colliding head-on with this disaster. California has long forbidden insurers from incorporating the real cost of wildfire risk into premiums or factoring in essential reinsurance costs, creating an unsustainable environment. Insurers are paying more in claims than they collect in premiums, prompting them to drop hundreds of thousands of policyholders—often in exactly these high-risk, fire-prone areas.
As the smoke clears and the long rebuilding process begins, our hope must be that these losses spark meaningful reform.
Wildfires California Los Angeles Disaster Leadership Accountability Insurance
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