California a house worth about 2 million dollars was destroyed in a landslide, but it happened to be unscathed in the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.
A one-story oceanfront property in Pacific Palisades was cut in half by a landslide and collapsed, Fox 11 LA reports. It was left surrounded by mud with running water also visible nearby.
The one-bedroom, one-bathroom home sold a few years ago for close to $2 million and is being rented for $14,000 a month, Fox 11 LA reported, citing online data. It is located on Castellammare Drive.
Landslides have become the latest concern for homeowners and officials in Los Angeles because water used to fight fires can weaken the ground, making foundations unstable. The US Geological Survey (USGS) has also warned of the risk of mudslides and landslides following wildfires as the fires destroy vegetation that would otherwise provide soil support.
A $2 million California home that was spared from a devastating fire was destroyed in a landslide. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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Aerial footage shows home right above a split-level house destroyed by a fire that may have contributed to the landslide.
Pacific Palisades was hit the hardest by devastating forest fires in terms of fire damage. It burned more than 23,700 hectares, writes the Los Angeles Times. At least 10 people have been confirmed dead and 17 more have died in a fire in Eaton, Fox 11 reports.
The Palisades Fire was 27% contained as of 8 p.m. Thursday, up from 22% in the early morning hours.
Bryan Kirkwood, a security guard hired to protect homes from burglars, was shocked to see the house torn apart.
“This is devastating. I didn’t know it was this bad,” Kirkwood told KTLA. “I didn’t see the news, I came here and looked and it didn’t hit me until now. Wow. This is a big deal.”
A one-story oceanfront property in Pacific Palisades was cut in two by a landslide and collapsed. Landslides have become the latest concern for homeowners and officials in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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Mark Pestrella, director of the film Los Angeles The County Office of Public Works said that the sheer amount of water sprayed to extinguish the flames has unintended consequences.
“What we call dry gravel, which is the slopes that are too steep and they’re really dried out. And you’re going to see this tearing of the slopes and what looks like a landslide, which is a landslide,” Pestrella told Fox 11.
“Debris has made its way onto streets and properties. Some of this material is supporting some of the structures that remain. There has been some water flooding into the system.”
He added that during the firefighting efforts, gas and water lines were also destroyed and water was shut off in some areas located in the Palisades fire zones.
“We did it for two reasons. One is because we wanted to maintain the water pressure in the system, and not lose it on the properties, but also in the expectation that it could lubricate the will of the landslide,” he said.
He said there is a significant amount of dry gravel in the lower Topanga area as well.
“We are working in consultation side-by-side with Caltrans to maintain those slopes so we can continue to have access to that area.”
James Lyons, an engineer with the Apple Valley Fire District, douses hot spots at a home burned in the Palisades Fire on January 13, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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He said flow hazards are still a problem even though it’s not raining, and LA County is dry for months.
“So, [as] a warning to all residents, no matter where you live in LA County, if you have slopes, behind your homes or if you’re on top of a slope, those slopes have become fragile,” Pestrella said.
“The ground supporting your home has become fragile and damaged due to the events we’ve had, including the wind. [is] mud and debris.”
