L.A. Mall Survives Wildfires, Now Models Fire-Safe Building

When wildfires tore through Pacific Palisades in January 2025, Palisades Village mall stood virtually untouched while 6,800 structures around it burned to the ground. After 18 months of cleanup, the shopping center reopened this week, and its survival story is reshaping how developers think about building in fire-prone areas.

The mall's fate could have been very different. Developer Caruso had hired private firefighters who arrived within hours of the first spark, protecting the property while public crews focused on saving homes and lives. But the real hero wasn't just the emergency response—it was years of fire-smart design choices that gave the building a fighting chance.

"We learned very early on that building systems and materials were very important, as well as fire prevention protocols," says Corinne Verdery, CEO of Caruso. That education came the hard way in 2017, when flames nearly consumed their Rosewood Miramar Resort during construction.

The Thomas Fire, one of California's largest wildfires, came within miles of the unfinished Santa Barbara resort. Local fire departments told Caruso they couldn't spare resources for an empty construction site. That wake-up call changed everything about how the company builds.

Since then, Caruso has built fire resistance into every project from the ground up. Fire-rated materials replaced traditional wood framing in vulnerable areas. Extensive defensible space surrounds buildings. Emergency response plans became as important as architectural drawings.

The Ripple Effect

Other developers are taking notice. The Palisades Village story proves that fire-smart construction isn't just possible—it works. While the private firefighting service sparked debate about equity in disaster response, the building techniques Caruso developed can be adopted by any developer, in any community.

The approach costs more upfront, but those expenses pale beside the cost of rebuilding. More importantly, fire-resistant design could save lives and preserve entire neighborhoods when the next wildfire strikes. California building codes are already tightening in high-risk zones, pushing the industry toward these practices.

For Pacific Palisades residents watching their neighborhood slowly rebuild, Palisades Village offers something beyond shopping—it's proof that their community can come back stronger and safer.