Feb 28, 2026
For many survivors of the deadly 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, the challenges didn’t end when the flames were put out.
The inferno devastated parts of the city, heavily impacting both affluent areas, such as the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, as well as areas home to working families such as Altadena.
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The Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, killing 17 people and destroying more than 9,400 structures (1). According to the nonprofit Department of Angels, as of January 2026 more than 7 in 10 residents in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades have not returned to their homes (2).
The Collins family recently faced an upsetting situation when the RV they have been living in, parked in front of their Altadena fire-damaged home, was ticketed twice by Los Angeles County parking enforcement.
Here’s how challenges are playing out for families at the street level, and how other families can adapt to them.
Fire’s impact weighs heavily in Altadena
The Collins family have been living in the RV since their home was deemed unlivable due to fire damage. They told CBS that there have been no issues with the parked RV in 13 months (3).
At present, there are dozens of RVs across Altadena with more families living in them.
In the Collins case, renovations to their home and their insurance coverage were on hold as of late 2025, due to a legal dispute with a contractor (4).
Being ticketed and told they have to move the RV off the street further exacerbates their crisis.
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“It’s created a lot more stress outside of what we already have,” Shirley Collins told CBS (3).
The city issuing tickets to the Collins family highlights a gap between the realities of disaster recovery and local enforcement rules.
Derrick Collins stated that some people affected by the fires are still sleeping in their cars in the driveway, and that others don’t have additional living expenses covered by their insurers (4).
The wildfires exposed significant gaps in home insurance coverage, with widespread reports of residents having their insurance policies canceled before the fires (5).
Insurance companies have been retreating from California, citing wildfire risk and climbing construction costs (6).
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CalMatters reported that although billions of dollars in insurance claims have been paid out since the fires, lawsuits over delayed or denied claims, along with rising premiums, show that the state’s insurance market is problematic (7).
The Department of Angels found that almost 8 in 10 survivors who held insurance policies “have had serious challenges with their insurers (2).”
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Looking for a solution with the city
CBS reported that Altadena city leaders visited with the Collins family to discuss the issue.
“Altadena Town Council and Sheriff’s Station did not put out a directive to get on the street and start gathering these up,” city council member Nic Arnzen said, according to CBS. “They certainly wouldn’t be looking for fire victims and trying to make their lives harder. Now, what they’re doing could inadvertently do that.”
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials acknowledged they had received several complaints from residents about unauthorized RV parking on the streets. The city has given fire-impacted residents the option to park RVs on their properties as they rebuild.
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“Parking RVs on public streets is not included in the recovery plan due to existing county and state parking regulations, as well as broader community concerns (3),” a statement said, adding Altadena Town Council was connecting the Collins family with a nonprofit that may be able to provide financial assistance.
Derrick Collins admitted that plans to move the trailer onto their lawn, to comply with the city’s demands, would include tearing down a fence and moving storage pods containing their belongings.
“I feel like this is just an extra expense, and I’ll have to pull something out of my hat,” he said (4).
If you find yourself in a natural disaster, such as a wildfire or flood, rebuilding your life after the danger has passed can be a struggle. In the Collins’ situation, where temporary housing violates local ordinances, reaching out to local officials can help to find a resolution that doesn’t involve punitive fines. Community outreach and non-profits can be a lifeline.
The financial impacts of the wildfires are still weighing heavily on many Angelenos. Non-profit Department of Angels reported that 48% of all survivors have depleted a significant portion of their savings, and 43% have taken on debt.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Cal Fire (1); Department of Angels (2); CBS (3, 4); PBS (5); AP (6); CalMatters (7).
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Rebecca Payne has more than a decade of experience editing and producing both local and national daily newspapers. She's worked on the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, Metro, Canada's National Observer, the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press.
