As firefighters continue to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires, many residents have been denied entry to their fire-ravaged neighborhoods to see the condition of their homes, partly due to safety and security concerns.
In the meantime, residents can check Los Angeles County portals to see inspection reports and images of many of the damaged homes. Inspections of both fire zones are underway but are less than halfway finished and it is not clear when the job will be completed, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection data.
The recovery maps give residents the ability to identify the conditions at their homes, even before evacuation orders are lifted and allow them to begin the insurance claims process.
“The damage inspection teams are working as quickly as possible given the safety and technical constraints of the job. Their appraisal can be the basis for an insurance claim, so it [is] not a cursory review of the property,” the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management said in a statement.
The data that the inspections provide are used by county, state and federal agencies as the recovery process gets underway.
The work of inspectors has been “hampered by access issues and hazards on site at some locations,” the statement said. “We cannot yet accurately gauge when this process might be complete.”
Below are summaries of the inspection processes for the two fires.
Palisades fire
The affected areas include Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
Inspectors had completed 35% of inspections within the fire footprint as of Wednesday, according to the city of Malibu. Estimates from Cal Fire indicate that over 5,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed.
The inspections are done by 26 teams of two inspectors each, according to the county Office of Emergency Management. Their most recent findings:
- 2,192 structures confirmed destroyed
- 398 confirmed damaged
- 1,429 confirmed undamaged
To view the map showing the inspection results so far, click here.
Eaton fire
The affected areas include Altadena, Sierra Madre and Pasadena.
Inspectors had completed 45% of inspections within the fire footprint as of Wednesday, according to Cal Fire. Estimates from Cal Fire indicate that over 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed.
The inspections are done by at least 20 teams of two inspectors each, according to the county Office of Emergency Management. Their most recent findings:
- 4,627 structures confirmed destroyed
- 486 structures confirmed damaged
- No count of structures confirmed undamaged
To view the map showing the inspection results so far, click here.
Official reports currently include residential, commercial and other structures in their counts. It is unclear when or if a separate count for homes will be available.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
