Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Park Blames City for Palisades Wildfire Failures and Questions Preparedness During January 2025 Disaster

The devastating wildfires that tore through Los Angeles’ Palisades in January 2025 were more than a natural disaster, according to local officials and a new documentary. Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents the area, called the destruction “a failure of preparedness,” challenging the idea that the fire was a rare, unavoidable event.

A Documentary Reveals Untold Stories

Filmmaker Rob Montz, who grew up in the Palisades, has chronicled the fire’s second day in his half-hour documentary, Paradise Abandoned. The film alleges that fire trucks were left idle and some firefighters were ordered to stand down, while 1,000 buildings burned. Montz, 42, said he discovered that hundreds of homes, including his childhood residence, could have been saved if resources had been properly deployed.

Eyewitness Accounts and Councilwoman’s Concerns

At a Santa Monica screening, Park voiced frustration at city leaders’ response. “Not only were the initial preparations inadequate, but the response as well,” she said, citing poor evacuation management and perimeter control. Residents on the ground reported battling flames themselves with buckets of water, while help was staged miles away.

The Fire That Kept Burning

The Palisades blaze reignited on January 7, after a deliberate arson earlier that year. A fire crew initially tackled it, but smoldering embers persisted for a week. Highlands Palisades resident Alan Feld recalled the fire department arriving 22 minutes after he reported the flames, by which time the fire had spread rapidly, fueled by Santa Ana winds reaching 100 mph.

Controversial Deployment of Fire Trucks

Montz and Park claim that while homes burned, fire trucks were seen parked on intact streets and at locations far from the flames. One segment of Montz’s documentary shows trucks stationed near the beach as a backdrop for a mayoral press conference, raising questions about resource allocation. Former resident Nate Miller alleged that firefighters were told to stand down and were seen eating breakfast while fires encroached on homes.

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Questions Over Water Supply

Residents also criticized the city’s lack of water in key areas. A 117-million-gallon reservoir above the Palisades, built for firefighting, had been left empty for months. LAFD officials argued that pipe size and system pressure, not the reservoir’s emptiness, limited water availability. Montz suggested that some homes could have been saved by using water from private swimming pools, a technique LAFD had previously trained crews to use.

Citizens Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

In many cases, locals were forced to act independently. Some cleared overgrown state-owned brush to prevent fires from spreading, paying for permits and labor themselves. Maryam, a resident, credited her proactive efforts with saving her home, while highlighting that the state had ignored repeated citations to manage the vegetation around properties.

Conflicting Reports and Defense of the Fire Department

While Montz’s documentary raises serious concerns, LAFD’s official October after-action report praised the department’s efforts. It claimed that strike teams, task forces, aircraft, and volunteers “worked beyond the normal operational period without hesitation,” and that over 12,000 structures threatened during the fires were ultimately saved.

A Community Reeling

Despite heroic efforts from some first responders, the Palisades community felt abandoned. Many residents risked their lives to protect their homes as fires raged uncontrollably. The documentary highlights a troubling contrast between prepared public appearances and the reality on the ground, leaving questions about city and state priorities and accountability.

The Debate Over Preparedness

Councilwoman Park and Montz argue that the Palisades Fire was not inevitable. Instead, they point to systemic mismanagement, delayed response, and misallocation of resources. As Los Angeles recovers, the fire has ignited a broader discussion about urban fire preparedness, local government accountability, and the role of residents in safeguarding their own communities.