These numbers tell the story of the Los Angeles wildfires, one year later

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A year after twin infernos tore across opposite ends of Los Angeles County, the scars are still visible. Thousands of homes were reduced to rubble, with rebuilding slow, and the death toll showed how a wildfire under extreme weather conditions can turn catastrophic.

The Palisades and Eaton fires exploded in size within hours of each other on Jan. 7, 2025. These figures show how fast the disaster unfolded and the toll it left behind:

The speed of predicted wind gusts in mountain areas, equivalent to 145 kilometers per hour. Red Flag warnings were issued Jan. 6 for severe wildfire danger as Southern California was buffeted by the region's notorious Santa Ana winds. Grass and brush were tinder dry after months with little or no rain. The National Weather Service warned it could be a life-threatening wind event. Firefighting assets were pre-positioned in areas deemed to be at especially high risk for fires.

How long it took for a small wildfire to explode in size. At 10:30 a.m. reports began coming in about a small blaze on a ridge in LA's upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood, in the same area where crews had responded to a fire on New Year's Day. Before long, a large plume of dark smoke was visible from miles away. Shortly after 11 a.m. on Jan. 7, the revived fire was reported to be about 10 acres (4 hectares), located near Palisades Drive on the coastal neighborhood’s western edge.

Over the next two hours, roads were jammed with motorists trying to flee as flames roared down streets and decimated homes. Officials issued an evacuation order for the Palisades while warning residents of surrounding areas that they should also get ready to leave. Within hours, the blaze had rapidly grown.

As firefighting resources were focused on the Palisades, another blaze was sparked about 30 miles (48 kilometers) to the east in Altadena, on the other end of Los Angeles County. The Eaton Fire started at 6:17 p.m. and all firefighting aircraft in the county were soon grounded because of high winds. By 8 p.m. it had doubled in size.

The amount of land charred by the two infernos, equivalent to 155 square kilometers. That's roughly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.

The number of people who died — 19 in the Eaton Fire and 12 in the Palisades Fire.

How long the Palisades Fire burned before it was extinguished. Investigators determined the 37-square-mile (95-square-kilometer) blaze had actually grown out of the earlier fire that started on Jan. 1.

The number of days it took for the Eaton Fire to be extinguished. It burned 22 square miles (57 square kilometers).

The amount of federal disaster aid requested by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The Trump administration and Congress have yet to approve it.

The maximum sentence faced by a 29-year-old man charged with sparking the Palisades Fire. He has pleaded not guilty. The cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation.

The number of structures destroyed in both blazes, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. In Altadena, 9,413 homes, businesses and other buildings were razed. In Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas including Malibu, 6,833 buildings, mostly homes, were gone.

The number of homes rebuilt so far, according to city and county data. Most are in the Altadena area, with one in Pasadena and two in Pacific Palisades. None are finished in Malibu. Hundreds more are under construction across the region.

The total charitable commitments to LA fire relief is between at least $860 million to $970 million, according to a study by the Milken Institute. Most was raised in the first month after the fires, and individual donations through GoFundMe brought in $265 million.

This story has been updated to correct the date the two fires erupted to Jan. 7, 2025, not Jan. 6, 2024.

FILE - A bus sits among burned out homes, Jan. 9, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

FILE - Melissa Young, center right, gets a hug from a well-wisher at her fire-ravaged home in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)

FILE - A woman cries as the Palisades Fire advances in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent, File)

FILE - The Palisades Fire burns a Christmas tree inside a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)

FILE - A lone sunbather sits and watches a large plume of smoke from a wildfire rise over the Pacific Palisades, in Santa Monica, Calif., Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

FILE - Embers blow down a street as the Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 7, 2026--

HPI, a Texas-based commercial real estate firm, announced the launch of its Dallas Tenant Advisory Group, marking a strategic expansion of the firm’s platform. The new group will be led by Robbie Baty, a respected commercial real estate veteran with more than 20 years of experience representing tenants.

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“The time is right for our platform — and Robbie is the right leader,” says Hunter Lee, an HPI Partner. “He is deeply respected in the industry and embodies the competitive, client-first mindset we embrace at HPI.”

“Robbie’s track record is consistent and proven,” adds Colt McCoy, head of HPI’s Fort Worth office. “We are excited for the energy and expertise he will bring as we continue to expand our North Texas footprint.”

Since 2021, Baty has represented tenants on over 8.9 million SF of transactions, advising on major projects including the Santander Consumer USA headquarters lease — the largest office lease completed in Downtown Dallas in the past five years. His client experience includes Brinker International, the PGA of America, Matador Resources, and Sewell Automotive. Most recently, he served as a Vice Chairman and Dallas Office Tenant Representation Leader at Cushman & Wakefield, where he drove more than 2.5x revenue growth.

HPI’s decision to launch a dedicated Dallas Tenant Advisory Group follows several years of sustained growth. Over the last five years, the firm has grown assets under management in Dallas by almost 5x, strengthening its multidisciplinary platform across Texas.

“We aren’t doing this just to do this — we’ve been waiting for the right moment and the right person,” said Lee. “Robbie is a leader who’s hungry for this kind of opportunity.”

Baty believes the firm’s momentum — combined with Dallas’ economic trajectory — creates an ideal environment for reinvesting in the market with a focused tenant advisory team.

“When I look at the growth trajectory of Dallas, and the abundance of companies based in North Texas, I see a region that’s ready for additional, locally based tenant representation companies. HPI already has the platform in place to help us to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact in the market,” said Baty, a Dallas native.

As head of the Tenant Advisory Group, Baty, a D CEO Power Broker for eleven consecutive years and former NAIOP North Texas Office Broker of the Year, plans to build a best-in-class team, with a goal of hiring 10-12 producers for each of the office and industrial tenant representation teams.

He also sees significant opportunity in data center representation, which he plans to develop as part of the group’s long-term strategy.

“My focus is serving clients – I’m dedicated to building a team of professionals who will deliver the best client experience and outcomes possible,” Baty added. “It is also important to me that HPI is a Texas-based company. This is my home, and I firmly believe local companies want to work with local groups like HPI.”

Baty says he is particularly energized by HPI’s collaborative structure, which allows teams to work seamlessly across disciplines to deliver comprehensive resources to clients.

“I want to utilize my full skill set,” said Baty. “I’m a coach at heart – I love to build teams and lead. Starting a new business has always been a dream of mine, and I am thrilled to do it with such a great group of people. At HPI, I can truly do what’s best for the client. Their entrepreneurial mindset is exciting.”

About HPI: HPI was founded in 1992 with four employees and one million square feet. Today HPI employees over 200 people in Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Fort Worth, serving 900 clients across almost 30 million square feet.

HPI announced that Robbie Baty will lead its new Dallas Tenant Advisory Group.