One Year On From The Palisades Fire That Devastated California: What It Shares With The Camp Fire, And The Realities Of "Fire" We Need To Prepare For In New Zealand

Driving on a freeway near Los Angeles this past weekend, the hillsides look just like they did that day a year ago. Charred, blackened trees stand dead, and in many places, the slopes are still thick with ash. Yes, it's almost been a year since the Palisades Fire sent shockwaves through Southern California in January 2025.

That day, the fierce, dry Santa Ana winds funnelling down from the Santa Monica Mountains rapidly escalated the blaze. The upscale neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades was quickly engulfed in flames, forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate. Wildfires erupted simultaneously across Southern California, making national headlines as the January 2025 Southern California Wildfires. Thankfully, the death toll from the Palisades Fire was minimised, but the area burned stretched to approximately 10,000 acres (equivalent to about 850 Tokyo Domes, or a significant chunk of Christchurch city).

A Scene Hauntingly Familiar to the 'Camp Fire' Nightmare

Seeing this devastation, I can't help but be transported back to memories from seven years ago: the Camp Fire that ripped through Northern California in November 2018. Back then, the small town of Paradise was virtually wiped off the map. I went there myself, and the scene was like a war zone. The remains of 85 people were found in the ashes, with many more unaccounted for. The Camp Fire is still remembered as the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history.

The Palisades and the Camp Fire share a critical commonality: they occurred in the 'Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)'. In areas where homes border bushland, once a fire takes hold, it's nearly impossible to stop. In California, where climate change is driving increasing aridity, wildfires are no longer 'abnormal weather events' but are becoming a 'seasonal reality'.

What We in Aotearoa New Zealand Can Learn

You might be thinking, "That's their problem, not ours." But we can't afford to be complacent here either. Think back to the devastating 2016 fire in Ōmokoroa? Or closer to home for many, the fires following the Christchurch earthquake? The key is embedding 'preparedness' into our daily lives.

In California, authorities urge the following measures before every fire season. These are all readily adaptable to the New Zealand context.

• Create 'Defensible Space': Keep your section clear of dead vegetation, dry grass, and firewood piles within at least five metres of your home. Think of it as creating a safety zone.
• Prepare a 'Grab-and-Go' Emergency Kit: Have a backpack ready with essential documents, water, long-life food, masks, and any necessary medications – anything you'd need if you had to leave in a hurry.
• Have a Family Escape Plan: Fires can strike at any time, even in the middle of the night. Discuss and agree on multiple evacuation routes from your neighbourhood and a designated meeting point for your family.
• Know Your Local Hazard Risk: Regularly check your local council's hazard maps and resources. Understand if your property or community is in an area prone to wildfire risk. Many regional councils now have excellent online tools for this.

That last point is particularly crucial. In New Zealand, agencies like Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) and regional councils are increasingly providing resources and information to help communities understand their risk. Don't assume that because you live in a city or town, you're safe. Pacific Palisades was a wealthy, built-up suburb, and it was turned to wasteland in an instant.

Keeping the Memory Alive, Not Just a Statistic

The final death toll from the Camp Fire is still difficult to comprehend – a testament to the sheer scale of the disaster. And for those who lost their homes in the Palisades Fire, the long road to recovery continues, even now. What we can do is ensure these events aren't forgotten. We must learn from them, so that if, or when, a similar disaster strikes here, their experience might just help save a life.

Tonight, if the fire alarms sounded or the call to evacuate came, would you be ready? Fires always strike with terrifying speed. Standing among the charred remains in California, you can't help but feel the landscape is quietly asking us all the same question: are you prepared?