In the Asian lunar calendar, 2026 is the year of the fire horse, a mythical animal that promises energy, forward momentum, and an element of wild and exhilarating unpredictability. As we get ready to embrace the new year here at TNT, we pause to reflect on the devastating Palisades Fire that reshaped so many lives last year. It may not feel like it to those of us who still live daily with the aftermath, but we have come a long way from those panic-driven days of crisis last January, and the long, bitter slog through of grief, ash, debris, power outages, road closures, evacuation orders, mud, and fear for an uncertain future. We still have a long way to go towards recovery, but the new year lies before us, each day taking us farther from last year’s sorrows and closer to recovery. This year is likely to be a momentous one. The horse is waiting, ready to carry us into the future! Photo by Deya Reece. Cover design by Urs Baur
The new year ushers in the year of the Fire Horse. The Chinese lunar calendar features 12 alternating animals and five elements. Each combination occurs only once every 60 years.
We aren’t sorry to see the year of the snake slither away (technically, Lunar New Year arrives February 17, so that sneaky serpent is still with us for a few more weeks). The element of fire that turned the traditionally introspective snake into an agent of chaos brings wild unpredictability to this year as well, adding passion and volatility to the horse’s strength, speed and power. The year of the horse may turn out to be a wild ride but the energy this year will be very different, at least according to Asian tradition.
Last year started with fire; this year began with rain. As of January 6, when TNT went to press, The city of Los Angeles has received 8000-percent more rain than this time last year. The entire state of California is drought-free for the first time since 2011. Parts of Topanga have already received more than 24 inches of rain this season. Whatever else happens this year, for good or ill, spring promises to be lush and green with abundant wildflowers. This winter is a far different season than the bitter, blighted devastation of the Palisades and Eaton fires last year.
The first anniversary of the fires passed on January 7. The impacts are still being felt in road closures, demolition, reconstruction, mudslide risks and evacuation warnings, and the unseen but still deadly toll the disaster has taken on residents, especially the elderly and immune compromised.
A study released by researchers at Boston University’s School of Public Health and the University of Helsinki found that the death toll from the Palisades and Eaton fires was as much as 14 times higher than reported. The researchers examined mortality data from LA County for the period between January 5 and February 1, 2025, and concluded that the wildfires may have contributed to at least 440 deaths during that period. It’s the first study to take into account “hidden impacts,” the authors explained. Those impacts include wildfire smoke, disrupted care and system strain.
The impacts of smoke and the toxins it contained may continue to impact the health of millions of Angelenos. The sudden incineration of 18,000 structures and all of the chemicals, heavy metals, and exotic compounds they contained is unprecedented in Los Angeles history.
The impact of the fire on mental health is also an unseen health impact felt by many and that is expected to continue. It has already led to an exodus of those weary of life in the disaster zone. However, most of our Topanga neighbors say they are here to stay, through good and bad. Topanga residents have rallied and pulled together to support their neighbors and local businesses, to rebuild and regrow, and to find new ways to make the community safer and more fire resilient.
The Palisades Fire is 365 days behind us, and each day that passes moves us further away from the trauma, closer to the day when the road is repaired, the homes are rebuilt, and the scars healed. This disaster, like all the ones before it, will recede in time from our consciousness. It is important to take what we learned this time to help ensure that next time—because there will be a next time—we are as prepared as possible and able to limit the damage as much as possible. It’s important to remember Arthur Simoneau who died trying to save his Topanga mountainside home, and the other victims of the fire. It’s important to remember the bravery of those who volunteered and helped out, staying behind to put out embers and patrol neighborhoods, the ones who brought supplies in and helped support the fire crews, the ones who took care of their neighbors homes and pets and kept hope alive.
Topanga is a special place. Everyone who loves the canyon knows that. It’s worth fighting for, and working for, and worth preserving and cherishing. Topanga residents have done just that during last year’s almost overwhelming challenges. There’s no knowing what this year will bring—we suddenly seem to be at war with Venezuela at the moment—but the Palisades Fire is finally in the rearview mirror, slipping into the past.
Stay safe, be well. Happy 2026!
The Palisades Fire Revisited
