In memoriam of the Jan. 7 fires, families, friends and local advocates congregated near the Palisades Village Green one year later to remember the 12 lives lost in the tragedy. Speakers called out the lack of action from state and government officials in their preventative and remediative efforts.
On the corner of Swarthmore Avenue and Antioch Street, in front of the burnt down building that once housed Starbucks, Cafe Vida and other popular local businesses, a large crowd of Palisadians gathered with spirit and homemade signs spreading this message: “They Let Us Burn!”
Members of the Palisades community led the event to push for “accountability, transparency, and real action from the city, state, and every agency whose failures turned a preventable fire into a deadly catastrophe,” according to the registration site.
Pali parent Mariam Engel, who helped organize the rally, explained how the event involved “securing permits, hiring vendors such as security and audio-visual professionals, designing graphics and overseeing the production of signs, banners, T-shirts and hats.”
Engel also founded the Palisades Fire Residents Coalition and launched the site theyletusburn.com, where information regarding the event, the coalition’s efforts and more can be found.
According to the organization’s website, the coalition “advocates for transparency, accountability, and reforms in wildfire preparedness, emergency response, and recovery.”
“After persistent community advocacy, the City Council unanimously voted to waive plan check and permit fees for Palisades Fire rebuilds – removing a major financial barrier that stood in the way of families returning home,” stated the Palisades Fire Residents Coalition in a message of congratulations to the community following the event.
Engel reflected on the effects of the fires on herself and others and how the process of recovering has been disrupted by obstacles.
“The Palisades Fire changed my life and the lives of everyone in our community,” Engel said. “Even a year later, our family, like many others, is still displaced and dealing with insurance challenges… [we’ve been] forced into a constant battle just to receive what’s fair.”
The event’s leaders called out the government’s lack of vigilance and readiness in its response to risks and threats before, during and after the tragedy occurred. They claimed that the tumultuous effects of the disaster could have been prevented had risk management minimized the fire’s consequences and difficulties that ensued in the aftermath of the fire.
“This isn’t about politics for us,” Engel said. “Palisades residents were failed at every level – local, state, and federal. This wasn’t one mistake or one agency. It was a systemic collapse that left an entire community exposed, unprotected and unable to recover.”
Sophomore Remy Trepanier, who lost her home in the fire, attended the event with her mother and sister. Trepanier said that the role of the event went beyond only fostering support for the town and bringing attention to the roots of the tragedy. For those who had to relocate, the day held sentimental value.
“It wasn’t just a protest, it was reminiscing on coming back to our town after a year,” Trepanier said. “Specifically for us and other families going through this, I feel like it’s really good to go [to the Palisades] together, reflect on what happened a year ago, process and remember how things used to be.”
The event featured speeches from numerous speakers. Trepanier expressed how she related to the experiences of others.
“I really liked when [the speakers] talked about their personal stories,” Trepanier said. “I feel like, during the fire, I wondered ‘why do I have to go through this?’, but hearing others’ accounts reminded me that the fires affected everyone and I’m not alone in this tragedy.”
Trepanier explained the hope she felt as she saw the Palisades full of people again after being somewhat desolate for a whole year, explaining how the Palisades is forging its way on a new journey.
“I’ve come back to visit when the town was empty and felt abandoned, but joining together like we did for the event makes the town feel so much more alive again,” Trepanier said. “The fire was a huge setback but we’re on a new path, and I’m happy we got to reflect on this at the anniversary.”
