These wildfires were among the costliest in U.S. history, devastating Los Angeles, a densely populated metropolis in Southern California.
But nearly a year after the fires were extinguished, the Eaton and Palisades fires are back in the headlines as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to take control of the rebuilding effort.
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In a speech in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, President Trump announced his intention to nominate Lee Zeldin to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take over the permitting process for residential construction.
“I haven’t told Mr. Lee Zeldin this yet, but I’m going to put you in charge of getting permits. I think you’re going to be ignoring local authorities,” Trump said from the podium.
But the push has reignited tensions between California and local Democrats, who accuse President Trump of trying to divert attention from a lack of federal aid for recovery efforts.
The Southern California wildfires were the first major natural disaster President Trump faced during his second term. It erupted in early January 2025, destroying more than 38,000 acres (15,378 hectares), fueled by Santa Ana’s dry wind gusts.
At least 16,000 buildings were destroyed. The official death toll is around 31, but academics at the University of Helsinki estimate the indirect death toll to be closer to 440 due to symptoms related to poor air quality, medical delays and mental health causes.
Damage is estimated at $65 billion, and some estimates suggest the economic loss will be even greater.
Critics claim the rebuilding process is frustrating and time-consuming. But politicians can’t agree on the cause.
On Tuesday, President Trump issued an executive order targeting Democratic leaders who run California, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, a leading 2028 presidential candidate.
President Trump denounced Southern California’s “abject failure to rebuild” and announced he would pre-empt state and local permitting processes. He added that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will investigate whether federal funds were “awarded arbitrarily, capriciously, or contrary to law.”
President Trump used Wednesday’s public appearance organized to boost the Children’s Savings Account program to double down on his attacks.
“I went there a few days after the fire and met so many people on the street. In many cases, they were pretty wealthy people, some very wealthy people. Some of the best homes in California were burned down,” President Trump told the audience.
The Republican president, whose fortune comes from his family’s real estate empire, has begun lamenting the slow pace of building permits and California’s trend toward Democrats.
“This is a national emergency,” President Trump said. “What they did to these people is terrible. It’s really terrible. But they’ll still vote Democratic. Can you believe it? At the end of the day, they just got used to it.”
But Democratic leaders are fighting back, questioning President Trump’s motives and authority.
The two sides have previously clashed over President Trump’s decision to send the National Guard to Southern California without permission from Governor Newsom, with Democrats arguing that Trump’s effort also amounted to an unconstitutional overstep of presidential power.
In a statement to local media this week, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass emphasized her belief that President Trump has once again overstepped his bounds.
“Although the President has no authority over local permitting processes, what he can really help do is provide the critical FEMA funding we’ve been asking for, accelerate FEMA reimbursements, and regulate industries that only the President can influence,” the statement said.
Bass added that Trump could also help by encouraging insurance companies to compensate homeowners for losses and encouraging banks to forgive mortgages and provide interest-free loans to survivors.
Under Bass’ leadership, in January 2025, the City of Los Angeles suspended requirements under the California Coastal Act and the California Environmental Quality Act to accelerate recovery efforts.
The city also ordered an expedited permit review process requiring eligibility reviews to be completed within 30 days of application submission.
Still, as of Wednesday, only 2,981 permits had been approved between Los Angeles County, the city and the neighboring municipalities of Malibu and Pasadena, according to the state website that monitors recovery efforts. According to the site, a total of 6,811 applications were received.
But residents are also frustrated by delays in federal aid, especially as President Trump moves to dismantle FEMA and limit benefits to disaster survivors.
Some California wildfire survivors reported that the amount paid by FEMA only covered a fraction of the property damage estimated by FEMA.
Gov. Newsom, a frequent target of Trump, seized on the accusations this week, releasing messages on social media mocking the president and criticizing his lack of support.
“Rather than taking over local permit approval speeds, the Fed needs to release funds. The main obstacle is that communities don’t have the money to rebuild,” Newsom’s news office wrote.
“Mr. President, please really help us. Please. Release the federal disaster aid money you are withholding to help communities rebuild their homes, schools, parks, and infrastructure.”
Thousands of homes remain in rubble as crews continue to deal with hazardous waste from lead, asbestos and other toxic materials left behind by the fire.
