Deadly wildfires have recently continued to tear through the northern Los Angeles, California, region with alarming frequency, with the latest blazes this past month burning nearly 60 thousand combined acres. The Palisades and Eaton fires, both started on Jan. 7, continue to render much of the area uninhabitable, with many evacuation and stay-out orders still in place as of February. Almost 40 thousand acres of January’s total destruction were caused by both Palisades and Eaton fires. About 29 fatalities have been confirmed, and vast swathes of L.A. have entirely burned down.
Although state fire agency CAL FIRE has been able to fully contain both fires as of Feb. 8, the damage that the flames have caused is severe and widespread. CAL FIRE’s Incidents page indicates that the two recent fires form a significant part of the over 16 thousand structures destroyed by fires in 2025 alone so far. According to CAL FIRE, the Palisades fire (named for the neighborhood in which it started, known as Pacific Palisades) originated in an area southeast of Palisades Drive, while the Eaton fire (named for Eaton Canyon, also where it started) may have originated near Altadena and Midwick Drives.
Some have pointed to old equipment from regional power company Southern California Edison as the possible culprit behind the ignition of the Eaton fire. NBC Los Angeles showed a “cellphone video clip … [recorded from a] different position than most other videos of the first moments of the fire” that appears to be of a blaze starting below a decommissioned local electrical tower. NBCLA reports that “dozens” of lawsuits have been filed alleging that this should result in Edison being held liable for starting the fire.
Electrical engineer and fire investigator Ken Buske said to NBC that “one would not expect a non-energized line to come to life,” but that it remains a very real possibility that the line was indeed re-electrified through a process known as induction, where improper grounding of wires could cause heat or sparks to develop. Edison itself also acknowledged this in a regulatory filing, saying that it was “exploring” whether the decommissioned line that the tower was on could have contributed to starting the blaze. Sources are still divided over the potential cause of the Palisades fire, with some speculating that it may have been ignited by the remains of another, much smaller blaze from days earlier.
CNN reports that more than 12 thousand homes have been completely destroyed in the flames. On top of that, LA resident Eva Esqueda (‘26) said that “even people whose houses were untouched can’t move back in for at least a year or two since gas, water, electricity, etc. will not be restored to affected areas until the damage is safely repaired,” rendering untold thousands more residents and their families unable to return to what remains of their day-to-day lives for an indeterminate length of time.
Many Drew students come to the Forest from various areas of California, including diverse areas of L.A. In regards to students who reside in areas affected by natural disasters, Administration sent out an email to all students from California as the fires exploded to a combined size of about 27 thousand acres on the evening of Jan. 8:
“As we watch the news about the wildfires impacting California, our thoughts are with you as our records indicate this is your home state. While we recognize that California is quite vast and your specific hometown may not have been directly impacted, we also know that many people, families, and friends may navigate the aftermath of tragedies like this in a variety of ways.”
The email encourages affected students to reach out to Dean of Students Michelle Brisson or Vice President for Campus Life Frank Merckx for support, highlighting that they are available “should [students] need anything during this time.”
Esqueda added that “the situation out west is devastating. Although I’m lucky to have just had my power shut off, I know several friends and family members who have had to evacuate their homes as well as those who have lost their homes completely.”
She expressed disappointment in the federal government’s sluggish response to the disaster after it approved emergency funding but did not assist much in the way of material aid like federal fire resources, saying that “everyone has been affected in some way or another, and it’s hard to watch all of this happening knowing that the state and federal government are lacking in their aid.” However, she noted, “it’s been extremely heartwarming to see people on this side of the country stand with us by donating clothes, food and other materials while spreading important information to their communities, too.”
While the fires have been fully contained, the focus turns now to recovery from disaster and reconstruction of communities. Many residents (including Drew students) have been left to pick up the pieces of what remains of their lives and livelihoods after the devastating blazes ripped through the area. Rebuilding their cities is likely to take years, if not decades.
The Drew Acorn is committed to updating the university’s community on subsequent current events. Drew students may continue to monitor our publication for ongoing updates on developments and information that could potentially affect the well-being and livelihoods of those on campus.
Sabr Keres-Siddiqui is a sophomore majoring in sociology and minoring in journalism/journalistic advocacy
