Supervisor Kathryn Barger Highlights Rebuilding Progress in Eaton Fire Burn Area, Addresses Recovery Gap
As Los Angeles County approaches the 15-month anniversary of the devastating Eaton Fire, Supervisor Kathryn Barger today highlighted significant rebuilding progress across the burn area while underscoring the urgent need to support wildfire survivors who have yet to begin the recovery process.
To date, more than 1,025 homes are currently under construction, approximately 2,000 building permits have been issued, and Los Angeles County has received over 3,000 rebuild applications.
While these milestones reflect meaningful forward momentum, Supervisor Barger noted that with more than 6,000 homes lost in the fire, only about 50 percent of impacted households have applied to rebuild—signaling a critical gap in recovery.
“Today’s progress demonstrates that when survivors are able to enter the rebuilding pipeline, our system is working to move them forward efficiently,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “However, the fact that only half of wildfire survivors have submitted applications makes clear that significant barriers remain, especially financial ones. Many impacted residents have taken no action to rebuild because they lack the capital to move forward—an issue exacerbated by delayed insurance payouts.”
Building on these concerns, Supervisor Barger emphasized the importance of strong federal partnership to help close the recovery gap.
“I’ve appreciated the opportunity to meet with U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler over the course of these past few months to have solutions-oriented conversations focused on recovery,” Supervisor Barger stated. “Both administrators remain engaged and attentive to our local Eaton Fire recovery work. I remain thankful that President Trump has an interest in supporting wildfire recovery efforts, and I welcome opportunities to work collaboratively with his administration to deliver meaningful relief for our residents.”
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