Palisades Fire (2025)
Los Angeles County (Pacific Palisades), California · Jan 7, 2025 – Jan 31, 2025
Third-most-destructive wildfire in California historyAcres burned
23,448
Lives lost
12
Structures destroyed
6,837
Year
2025
Estimated damage
Estimated tens of billions in damages (with the Eaton Fire, among the costliest U.S. disasters)
Duration
24 days (Jan 7–31, 2025); most destruction in the first 24–48 hours
Evacuations
Well over 100,000 people under evacuation across the LA firestorm
What happened
The Palisades Fire was the third-most-destructive wildfire in California history, burning through Pacific Palisades and surrounding communities during an extreme Santa Ana wind event in January 2025. It killed 12 people, destroyed 6,837 structures, and ranks among the costliest wildfires in U.S. history.
Cause
Under investigation
Location
Los Angeles County (Pacific Palisades), California
Key facts
- ▪Third-most-destructive wildfire in California history (6,837 structures)
- ▪Most destructive fire in the history of the city of Los Angeles
- ▪Driven by hurricane-force Santa Ana winds
- ▪Burned simultaneously with the Eaton Fire
Replay the Palisades Fire in the spread simulator
This centers the wildfire-spread simulator on the Palisades Fire's documented ignition point and replays its conditions on 2025-01-07 — the day’s strongest wind, temperature, and humidity from the open-meteo historical archive (which set the fire-day fuel moisture) — run through the same Rothermel surface-fire model used across FireRisk. Press ▶ Simulate to watch how fire tends to move under those conditions.
⚠️ Educational reconstruction — not the real fire perimeter
This is a simplified model of how fire spreads under the 2025 conditions, not the Palisades Fire's actual burned area, official progression, or a prediction of any current fire. It cannot account for real fuels, suppression, spotting, or how conditions changed hour to hour. For real-time fire information always follow Watch Duty, official agencies, and local authorities — and call 911 in an emergency.
Loading the 2025 fire-day conditions…
Reminder: an educational reconstruction of fire spread under the 2025 conditions — not the Palisades Fire's actual perimeter, an official record, or a forecast. Modeled spread, direction, and timing are illustrative only. Never rely on it for any safety decision.
Aftermath & what changed
The January 2025 firestorm triggered a wave of insurance claims, strained the California FAIR Plan, and intensified the statewide debate over insurer availability and rates in the wildland-urban interface.
Could your home survive a fire like the Palisades Fire?
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Related major fires
Palisades Fire FAQ
When was the Palisades Fire and where did it burn?
The Palisades Fire started Jan 7, 2025 in Los Angeles County (Pacific Palisades), California, and was contained Jan 31, 2025.
How many acres did the Palisades Fire burn?
The Palisades Fire burned approximately 23,448 acres.
How many people died in the Palisades Fire?
Approximately 12 people died in the Palisades Fire.
What caused the Palisades Fire?
Under investigation.
Figures are approximate and compiled from official agency reporting; totals for recent fires may still be revised. FireRisk.ai is an independent wildfire-risk service.