The Palisades Fire
The Palisades Fire ignited on January 7, 2025 during an extreme Santa Ana wind event and tore through Pacific Palisades and Malibu, killing 12 people and destroying 6,837 structures. Together with the Eaton Fire the same day, it made January 2025 one of the most destructive fire events in US history.
Shaded circle = 23,448 acres burned
The shaded circle covers the same area as the fire’s recorded footprint, centered near its origin. Real perimeters were irregular and wind-driven.
Key facts
What happened
After eight months with almost no rain, Los Angeles faced a Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning with winds forecast to gust past 80 mph. The Palisades Fire started mid-morning near the Skull Rock trailhead in the Santa Monica Mountains and exploded downhill into dense neighborhoods, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate on jammed roads.
Hurricane-force gusts grounded firefighting aircraft during the critical first hours. The fire burned 23,448 acres before full containment on January 31.
The investigation
Federal investigators concluded the Palisades Fire was a rekindle of the Lachman Fire, a small blaze started in the same area on New Year's Day that crews had believed extinguished. In October 2025 the Department of Justice announced an arrest, charging a suspect with starting the original fire.
Why it matters
The January 2025 fires upended assumptions about urban wildfire risk in Los Angeles, triggered one of the largest insurance events in state history, and forced a reckoning over water system capacity, evacuation planning, and rebuilding standards in the wildland-urban interface.
Frequently asked questions
What caused the Palisades Fire?
Investigators determined it was a holdover rekindle of the Lachman Fire, set on January 1, 2025. A federal arson prosecution followed in October 2025.
How many homes were destroyed?
6,837 structures were destroyed, most of them homes in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, with hundreds more damaged.
How big was the Palisades Fire?
It burned 23,448 acres across the Santa Monica Mountains, from Pacific Palisades toward Malibu and Encino, before containment on January 31, 2025.
Wondering what is burning in California right now? See the live California wildfire map →
Keep reading
Sources
- CAL FIRE Palisades Fire incident page
- US Department of Justice announcement (October 2025)
- Los Angeles Fire Department
Facts checked against the sources above. Figures such as costs and death tolls follow the most widely accepted official counts.