13,000 of 40,000 fire claims involved smoke damage
Twenty-one months after the January 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires destroyed more than 16,000 structures, many survivors whose homes did not burn down have yet to return, according to the Associated Press.
Their homes reeked of smoke. Inside, they found ash, soot and char. The fires burned for nearly a month, and the debris and emissions contained a mixture of trees, brush and manufactured materials made up of plastics, metals and more — raising concerns about toxic contents left in homes that still stand but may be unsafe to occupy.
The state Insurance Department estimates that more than 13,000 of the 40,000 claims filed after the fires involved smoke damage. Survivors await test results for substances such as lead and asbestos. They wait for homes to be repaired, cleaned up and cleared of toxic materials after months of back-and-forth with their insurance companies.
Two California bills now awaiting the governor’s signature would set standards for when wildfire survivors can safely return to homes damaged by smoke. Fire survivors, experts and insurers have all pointed to the absence of such standards in the months since the fires.