According to the CA.gov website, cleanup after the January wildfires in Southern California currently is in phase 2.
Phase 1, which involved the removal of household hazardous waste, was completed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency less than a month after the fires were contained Jan. 31.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took over in phase 2 – the removal of structural debris. As of mid-March, about 200 out of 3,770 parcels that were accepted for phase 2 debris removal had been cleared.
Unfortunately, that is just a small step on the long journey of recovery from the 14 fires that burned over 24 days, from Jan. 7-31. More than 57,700 acres burned, 29 deaths were confirmed, and hundreds of businesses and homes were destroyed.
On Feb. 26, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) released its 2025 Economic Forecast Report, outlining emerging trends and challenges in the wake of the two largest blazes, the Palisades and Eaton fires.
“Our 2025 Economic Forecast reflects the continued resilience of Los Angeles County’s economy as we rebuild and recover from the recent wildfires,” said Stephen Cheung, president and CEO of LAEDC and World Trade Center Los Angeles. “In recent years, our region has navigated a global pandemic, high inflation and dual Hollywood strikes, yet our strong economic growth in 2024 demonstrates that Los Angeles is well-positioned to address the challenges ahead.”
According to the report, real GDP growth for Los Angeles County is projected at 2.1 percent in 2025 and 1.3 percent in 2026, a slowdown from 2024’s unexpectedly high 3.4 percent growth.
Other findings:
- Nonfarm payroll jobs are expected to grow by 0.7 percent in 2025 and 0.2 percent in 2026, continuing a positive but slowing trend.
- Unemployment is projected to rise to 6.1 percent in 2025, up from 5.7 percent in 2024.
- The education, healthcare and leisure and hospitality sectors will continue to drive job growth, while manufacturing faces long-term decline.
- Los Angeles County’s population outmigration has stabilized, with a slight increase of 4,800 residents in 2024.
- Housing affordability remains a crisis, with just 11 percent of households able to afford a median-priced home.
- The cost of doing business in Los Angeles remains about 20 percent higher than the national average, continuing to pressure local businesses.
- Employment in film and TV production has not fully recovered post-strikes, with employment remaining below pandemic levels.
- Regional wildfire risk and climate resilience remain “significant concerns for long-term economic planning.”
On the bright side, upcoming major events – including the 2028 Olympics – continue to drive infrastructure investment and business opportunities in the region, LAEDC said.
Fire effects, response
A couple of grocery stores on Sunset Boulevard were destroyed by the wildfires: the Gelson’s Pacific Palisades store, which had celebrated 45 years in business just last August, and Ralphs Fresh Fare.
Through a checkout campaign, support from parent company Pan Pacific Retail Management and a $50,000 matching grant it provided, Encino-based Gelson’s was able to give more than $191,000 to support organizations to help residents rebuild their lives, President and CEO Ryan Adams said in early March.
Each of the team members from the Pacific Palisades store now has a job at one of the company’s 26 other locations.
The Ralphs Fresh Fare was owned by The Kroger Co., which pledged $1 million to support wildfire relief. According to the Ralphs website, it operates 182 stores in 110 cities in California.
Grocers across the country made donations during and after the fires, as did many local grocers.
For example, Northgate Gonzalez donated more than $239,000 to support fire victims; Island Pacific Supermarkets, which has stores in California and Nevada, brought together volunteers to assemble care packs and provided free meals to first responders for a period of time; and Erewhon created an “LA Strong” smoothie made with biodynamic cacao and reishi mushrooms, with proceeds going to help those impacted by the Palisades and Altadena fires.
In addition, in March and April, Carson-based Bristol Farms is conducting fundraising campaigns for the California Fire Foundation, World Central Kitchen and Pasadena Humane.
[RELATED: Wildfires Destroy Gelson’s Palisades Store In SoCal]
Grocery growth abounds
Illinois-based discount grocer Aldi announced Feb. 7 that it would open a record-breaking 225-plus stores in 2025, saying it would grow its presence in the West with “more stores in Southern California and Arizona, and enter new communities, like Las Vegas.”
Aldi opened its first stores in Southern California in March 2016 and today operates 100-plus stores in the state. Aldi’s website lists a store in San Bernardino County – at 9954 Sierra Ave. in Fontana – as “coming soon.”
Phoenix, Arizona-based Sprouts Farmers Market has been busy opening stores in SoCal: Downey, Dec. 6; Studio City, Nov. 15; Palm Springs, Nov. 8; Long Beach (Traffic Circle area), Oct. 11; and Lawndale, Aug. 9.
New Trader Joe’s also are planned for the area, in Yucaipa, Sherman Oaks, Northridge and Tarzana. The Monrovia-based grocer opened several stores in the area in the latter months of 2024: University Drive in Vista on Dec. 6; Poway Road in Poway on Oct. 30; Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena on Oct. 21; and Golden Valley Road in Santa Clarita on Oct. 9.
Two new Costcos recently opened in Southern California – Brentwood, on March 7, and Highland, March 8.
Santa Clarita-based Vallarta Supermarkets, one of California’s largest Latino-owned grocery chains, planned to open a new store March 26 in Hemet.
A store in the Park Mesa Heights area of Los Angeles also is in the works.
Recently opened Vallarta stores include one in Modesto, at 3900 Pellandale Ave. (Feb. 5); one in Clovis (Nov. 20) that is one of the company’s largest stores to date; and a remodeled store that reopened at 10950 Sherman Way in Burbank last August.
Anaheim-based Northgate Gonzalez Market also is working on its store base.
On Jan. 29, a newly redesigned store opened on North Hacienda Boulevard in La Puente, highlighting more of the fresh and prepared Mexican foods shoppers are looking for, according to the company.
A future Northgate is coming to Lynwood. Ground was broken on the site for a new store last July 30 that will eliminate a food desert in Los Angeles County.
This store has been years in the making, as the location had to undergo extensive soil cleanup, remediation and numerous regulatory reviews and approvals due to a previous gasoline station tenant, the grocer said at the time of the groundbreaking.
The 36,974-square-foot store in Lynwood will feature a large meat department, bakery, tortilleria, fresh produce, prepared foods, a Taqueria and an extensive selection of domestic and imported Latin American grocery goods.