For the first time since the devastating Palisades fire ignited on Jan. 7, all Pacific Palisades residents can now return to their homes — or what is left of them.
All remaining evacuation orders were lifted at noon Monday, with most zones converted to residents-only access. Residents were previously allowed limited access with a California Highway Patrol escort, but now they can pick up an entry pass and enter independently during noncurfew hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“Thanks to the tireless efforts of our public safety, public works, and utilities partners — as of noon [Monday] all of the Pacific Palisades will be opened for resident reentry,” said City Councilmember Traci Park in a statement. “This is a watershed moment and I want to thank you all for your patience to allow these workers to clear major hazards.”
Residents can pick up an entry pass at Lot 3 at 1150 Pacific Coast Highway between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily and are allowed to bring contractors, tow trucks and tax assessors with them to their property, she said.
“I think this will mean relief that at least they [residents] can go back and see for themselves what’s happened to the neighborhood,” said Quentin Fleming, a member of the Pacific Palisades Community Council, who lost his home. “Now the process of healing can begin.”
The 23,448-acre fire destroyed 6,837 properties, damaged more than 1,000 others and claimed 12 lives, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. At the fire’s peak, more than 10,000 residents were under evacuation orders.
A curfew remains in effect in the fire zone to protect property during the repopulation process. The U.S. Environmental Agency will begin debris removal this week, and returning residents are asked not to attempt to remove debris themselves due to safety concerns.
For many residents, the reopening process has been a painfully slow and frustrating one. Evacuation orders were lifted in a piecemeal fashion, and there was a lot of confusion over what areas could be accessed and when, said Fleming.
California Highway Patrol officers began escorting residents back to their properties last week, but an escort was often challenging to secure, he said.
On Sunday, Fleming lined up to get an escort back to his property. After waiting for 90 minutes, he learned that escorts were on an indefinite hold due to the risk of mudslides.
“No one seemed to really be in charge of communicating or having the information available [about access], and that can be a maddening thing,” he said. “I know there has been a lot of frustration among my fellow residents.”
Weekend rain triggered mudslides and flooding in the Palisades fire area on Sunday, prompting the closure of Pacific Coast Highway west of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and of Topanga Canyon Boulevard in both directions. Residents seeking to access the Highlands area of the Palisades on Monday were warned to expect delays as Palisades Drive only had one lane of traffic open due to the rain.
Although his home was burned to the ground, Fleming is hoping to find something to salvage from the ashes and, if nothing else, looks forward to finally knowing where he stands.
“It feels good knowing I can finally go back and then begin the process of trying to recover or at least finding out that that’s not possible,” he said. “Being left in limbo can be very draining.”
Bendick Sy, whose home is still standing, is also eager to return.
“I feel fortunate that I can get to my stuff and that it [the home] is recognizable,” Sy said, “whereas many, many people can’t do that.”
In particular, he is looking forward to retrieving his family photos and his children’s sports trophies, items that are “irreplacable.”
Sy said he didn’t mind the waiting to return but shared residents’ frustrations about the lack of clarity around the repopulation process.
“I appreciate that the decision makers took safety seriously, because you’ve got glass, you’ve got wires and electrical stuff all over the road,” he said. “I think what most people are frustrated with is the lack of communication — when LAPD says you can go up to an area, the National Guard will stop you or vice versa.”
Although Sy still has his Palisades homes, he believes it will be many months before his family can live there again due to smoke damage, road damage, toxic-debris removal and infrastructure damage.
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