The devastating January 2025 wildfire in Pacific Palisades devastated the area. It was perhaps the hardest hit of the areas incinerated by the wildfire outbreaks in Los Angeles that killed 30 people and destroyed nearly 18,000 structures.
Shortly after the flames were extinguished and the roads reopened, residents and officials noticed a troubling new trend: commercial tour operators running “disaster tours” through the fire-ravaged neighborhoods.
On Jan. 7, the Palisades fire tore through Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas, destroying more than 6,000 structures, many of them homes, and leaving 12 people dead. Although officials vowed to have a speedy recovery, the rebuilding process for the worst disaster in the city’s history has been challenging — and slow.[Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci] Park said the tour buses were not only unsettling but also potentially distracting and hazardous for crews continuing to work in the area.“It’s also … dangerous because we’re still actively clearing fire debris,” she said.
It appears that the tours are so popular, the council is looking for long-term strategies to address the problem.
The measure, introduced by Councilmember Traci Park, directs the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to impose limits on commercial tour operations in wildfire-impacted zones for the remainder of the city’s emergency declaration. The vote also calls for the Los Angeles Police Department to work with city attorneys and transportation officials to develop enforcement strategies and report back on potential long-term solutions….The temporary directive gives city departments the authority to take immediate action while laying the groundwork for a permanent policy to protect the community. Park described the move as a necessary first step to preserve the dignity and recovery of a “very sensitive area.”
Additionally, there may be other restrictions put in place of the roads once the newly reconstructed areas are mapped.
Park, citing Los Angeles Municipal Code 80.36.11, which allows the Department of Transportation (LADOT) to restrict tour bus operations in unsafe areas, has introduced a motion to prohibit such operations in the fire-affected zone for the duration of the ongoing emergency declaration. The motion, presented to the City Council, calls for LADOT to submit a map within seven days identifying restricted areas impacted by the January fire.Park’s proposal also addresses the area’s pre-existing challenges, noting that its narrow, winding streets and steep hills were already unsuitable for large vehicles before the fire. She has instructed LADOT to survey streets within the boundaries of Pacific Coast Highway, Surfview Drive, Amalfi Drive, and the Santa Monica Mountains ridgeline, reporting back in 120 days with recommendations for permanent tour bus restrictions.
As of May, approximately 30 permits have been issued to rebuild in Pacific Palisades.
To date, 31 permits for 23 addresses related to rebuilding efforts have been issued for projects in the Palisades. Hundreds of permit applications are in the process of being reviewed. The first permit was issued 57 days after the start of the Palisades Fire, more than twice as fast as they were issued after the devastating Camp and Woolsey fires.
Given these numbers, perhaps keeping the disaster tours going but charging a city fee would be the fiscally sensible way to go. Perhaps the L.A. City Council could even expand the scope of the tours, to include the homeless camps and drug dens … and a stop to watch the Los Angeles mayor confront ICE.
A stop at MacArthur Park could accomplish all three and reduce the city’s $1 billion deficit.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY