With 106 days since the devastating Palisades Fire, Col. Jeff Palazzini takes over the charge in recovery
According to these numbers below, it’s been 106 days since the Palisades Fire ravaged a still unfathomable swath of the Santa Monica Mountains — from the Skull Rock Trail Head to the Octopus House. The recovery effort is now in full swing, with some impressive numbers: 500 trucks moving as many 1,400 truckloads a day.
The effort is being led by the United States Army Corps of Engineers which itself underwent a change in leadership. Col. Brian Sawser rotated back to Tennessee to be replaced by Col. Jeff Palazzini — and he’s ready to rock.
With help from USACE Public Affairs Officer Jeremy Eller, we conducted an email interview with Palazzini. Also thanks to Matt Myerhoff of the City of Malibu, Katy Macek from Caltrans, and Jeffrey “Dusty” Nelan, who said: “The National Guard mission has been extended to 31 May 2025.”
Questions for Col. Palazzini
He is the very model of a modern Army Corps colonel. A West Point graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, as well as an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia, and Master’s degree in strategic security studies from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., Palazzini was commissioned as an Army engineer officer in 1999.
He has seen duty across the country and around the world, serving in a variety of other command and staff positions that include assignments with the 307th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team (505th Parachute Infantry Regiment), E Company, 1-68 Combined Arms Battalion,Operation Joint Guardian (Kosovo Force 2A) (2000), 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Division in Giessen, Germany (2000-2002), 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado (2005 to 2006), Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2004 and 2005-2006), assistant professor in the Social Sciences Department at West Point (2009-2011), 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (2012-2014), deputy commander of the USACE Sacramento District (2014-2017), Operation Inherent Resolve with the USACE Mosul Dam Task Force (2016-2017), Commander of the USACE Charleston District in South Carolina (2017-2019). the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (2020-2022) Defense Intelligence Agency (2022-2023),
Palazzini assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — Alaska District on June 30, 2023, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. In this role, he leads an organization responsible for executing major programs focused on military construction, civil works development, and environmental cleanup within the state. He also oversees the delivery of contracting, regulatory, interagency, international, real estate, and emergency management services, along with operations and maintenance activities.
This is the kind of experience and talent the Army Corps of Engineers are pointing at the debris cleanup in the wake of the Palisades Fire.
As he was thawing out and rotating in, Palazzini took time to answer some questions.
We wanted to say thank you to Col. Sawser and do a parting interview, but the rumor is he was in a hurry to get back home to Tennessee because “Los Angeles is lacking in any good catfish restaurants.” Is that true?
While I haven’t heard that rumor, I can tell you that Col. Brian Sawser will be happy to see his family after 100 days of command at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Emergency Management Office within the Pacific Palisades.
Well that mess got here and as overwhelming as it seems to Malibu people, the Army Corps are on the job and this isn’t your first rodeo, is it?
That’s absolutely true. We have over 450 USACE volunteers and around 2,800 contractors actively working with our local, state partners and FEMA to support survivors impacted by the fires.
Can you say what other similar cleanup missions you’ve been involved in? Maui? Katrina? North Carolina? The Chiefs after the Super Bowl?
I was the Charleston District commander, responsible for our flood fight during Hurricane Florence in 2018. I also led an Emergency Field Office in 2017 during USACE’s response to hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
How does Palisades Fire compare?
There are similarities between hurricane and fire recovery response. When there is a hurricane or wildfire disaster, our agency provides core missions which may include temporary emergency power, debris management, temporary housing, temporary roofing, support to urban search and rescue and infrastructure assessment. However, each of these tragedies has its own unique characteristics and challenges.
On “60 Minutes,” Colonel [Eric] Swenson predicted USACE would be moving 9 billion pounds of debris to clear the Palisades Fire. That seems like a lot, but 4.5 million tons is nothing compared to Katrina, which was 100 million tons. That’s a giant number.
Every natural disaster brings a distinct set of challenges, but you can’t downplay the scale of destruction Southern California has experienced. To put this into perspective, the debris the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been tasked to clear from Southern California is equivalent to 20,000 Statues of Liberty.
Is Col. Swenson still involved or did he rotate out also?
I am pleased to report that Col. Eric Swenson remains in his role as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Recovery Field Office commander.
I see you are the commander in Alaska. I’ve driven up there twice and been all over. Took the Top of the World Highway from Dawson and drove the Haul Road all the way up to Prudhoe Bay one summer. I imagine Alaska would keep you busy.
I’m still trying to figure out how they dragged this thing all the way up there in the early 1900s. I think this is on the Klondike on the Top of the World Highway, not Bonanza Creek. That’s the middle of nowhere now. In 1910, fuhgeddaboudit.
There’s not too much Alaskans can’t accomplish!
Was the Army Corps involved in the cleanup after the Exxon Valdez? I worked in a fish processing plant in Valdez and got an idea of how big a mess that was.
Yes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a coordinating agency within the National Response Framework, and our primary function is public works and engineering. Hurricanes, wildfires, bridge collapses, and oil spills all fall under that framework. After the Valdez oil spill in 1989, we worked with the U.S. Coast Guard and other local, state, and federal agencies on the cleanup effort.
Is Alaska where you were before the Palisades Fire?
Yes, I am the commander of the Alaska District. My deputy, Lt. Col. Virginia Brickner, is acting commander until I return from this deployment.
Is USACE satisfied with the progress of this cleanup?
There’s a lot of trucks moving through town. We are pleased to announce over half a million tons of debris has been removed from the Palisades Fire impact area. We estimate there are more than 500 USACE-contracted trucks using all legal routes daily. We know this is not ideal for the community, but it ensures we can expedite recovery operations to safely and quickly allow residents to transition to rebuilding.
What are your projections for the progress of it? Ahead of schedule? Is there a schedule?
We are committed to moving quickly, but we MUST prioritize safety, environmental protection and compliance with regulations. We expect the vast majority of properties will be cleared within the calendar year.
Is there anything peculiar about the way California goes about things that make this mission easier or harder?
Emergency missions always have unknowns and constraints that make the mission more difficult; California is no different. The community, partners, and volunteers who are working together and giving their all, every day, to rebuild takes some of the difficulty out of our job.
Have you maxed out on the number of trucks a day? Col. Sawser predicted 1,200 a day and it seems close to that.
You may be thinking of our goal to reach 1,200 truckloads per day.
Oh, roger. Truckloads. Still.
On April 11, we hauled 1,470 loads of debris out of Malibu, the Palisades, and the unincorporated areas. As of April 19, our five-day average was 1,196 loads per day, which puts us in a good place for continued progress.
Do you have any words of encouragement or warning for the people of Malibu and the Palisades?
We want this community to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. We are working as fast as we can, safely, to help the community begin the recovery process.
Any words for the property owners who haven’t opted in or opted out?
The opt-in period ended April 15, so we have removed the unknown factor from that equation and can now get to work clearing the properties of those survivors who opted in.
Anything else you want to say about this mission, please do.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ motto is “Essayons,” meaning “Let us try.” It reflects a spirit of confidence, determination, and a willingness to face our nation’s toughest challenges. The communities impacted by the Palisades Fire can count on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete our mission safely and quickly. ESSAYONS!
Thank you for your effort and service.
Debris Removal by the Numbers
4/12: April 12 was the day Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that PCH would be open to one and all on May 31: “We understand how essential this route is for daily life and local businesses. Reopening PCH is a top priority, and we are going all-in to get this done.”
10: Number of Malibu beachfront parcels that had neither opted in nor opted out by the April 15 deadline.
June 30: Deadline for all opted-out parcels to be cleaned.
38: Days from April 23 when PCH will be open to everyone. Hang in there!
106: As of April 23, it’s been 106 days since the Palisades Fire broke out at 10:30 on Jan. 7, at 10:30 a.m. at the Skull Rock Trailhead.
134: Maximum number of properties cleared by the USACE in one day: On April 17, Eaton cleared 68 and Palisades cleared 66 properties in one day.
193: Initial visits to the Malibu Rebuild Center from March 10 to April 17
The city is pleased to announce progress on the rebuilding effort since opening the Malibu Rebuild Center on Monday, March 10:
- Initial Rebuild Consultations/Site Verification – 193 Initial visits / 64 follow-up visits
- Architectural Plan Review – 13 Pending / 6 Approved = 19 total (like-for-like: 11; Like-for-like +10%: 8)
- Building Plan Check Submittal – 0 Received/ 0 Approved
- Certificate of Occupancy – 0
3,826: As of April 21, out of 13,579 estimated eligible parcels from the Palisades Fire, there were 3,841 Rights of Entry (ROE) accepted from the county, with 3,841 in process with contractors. Of those, 1,294 had been signed off as cleared, for a 10% completion rate.
$475,000: April 18 sale price for a .34-acre “burn out” lot at 21003 Pacific Coast Highway. This is on the inland side, and appears to be the lot just west of “The Crab Shack” where Randy “Crawdad” Miod lived. For contrast, the “burn out” lots directly across the street are valued at $3.210 million to $4.8 million.
Is that really how much people want to live directly on the water? Instead of Chat GPT, we asked a human: Jeff Chertow at Pinnacle: “Price is confirmed. Brian Goldberg from our office sold it. Might only be able to build a 700-square-foot house as the set back from hillside is now 15 feet.”
Goldberg had this to add, with some level of disappointment: “The Malibu Municipal Code allows non-conforming structures to be rebuilt at their original location and height. That was what I was telling potential buyers and sellers. The original listing price for that property was over $850,000 and the buyer was willing, but that house was built prior to1930, probably before there were building codes. Current building code requires the home to be 15 feet from the slope. ”
As a hint at the shape of things to come, that 21st century code applied to a 20th century home made a dramatic change inthe potential size of the home and that halved the selling price. This is significant, as it’s most likely the first of many many 20th century properties and homes running afoul of 21st century regulations.
$1,899,000: Selling price of a Palisades lot on the corner of Merivale and Lachman lanes, where 75-year-old Edward Stark lived for 38 years — until it burned in the Palisades Fire. Mr. Stark was featured in The New York Times article “The Next Stage of Rebuilding the Palisades Is Here: Burned Lots for Sale” by Jesus Jimenez on April 19.
500: Debris-removing trucks operating in Palisades and Malibu, according to Col. Palazzini.
1,196: Palazzini said, “As of April 19, our five-day average was 1,196 loads per day, which puts us in a good place for continued progress.”
1,470: According to Palazzini, on April 11, the USACE hauled 1,470 loads of debris out of Malibu, the Palisades and the unincorporated areas.
Other numbers for Palisades Fire
3/5: Lots in the Palisades sold by Dan Urbach: “The prices of the five lots that Mr. Urbach currently has up for sale range from $2.195 million to $3.995 million. “Just for the dirt,” Mr. Urbach added. He expected more lots to have even higher asking prices.”
164: As of Friday, April 19, 164 lots had been listed for sale in the Palisades, with 19 in escrow and 27 sold since Jan. 7, according to real estate listing data.
200: Mr. Stark’s lot was one of nearly 200 burned lots in Pacific Palisades that had gone up for sale in recent weeks.
$1,980,000: Price for a 1,483-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath apartment at 20464 Pacific Coast Highway
$2,495,000: Listing price for a 4,382.14-square-foot “burn out” lot at 20842 PCH.
$2,500,000: Listing price for a 1,293.73-square-foot lot at 19306 PCH.
$3,000,000: Listed price for a 2,992.572-square-foot “burn out” lot at 19206 PCH.
$6,500,000: Listing price for a 5,867.53-square-foot unimproved “burn out” lot at 21558 PCH.
$9,000,000: Selling price on April 16 for a 9,792.29-square-foot lot at 21520 PCH — about nine lots west of the somehow unscathed La Costa Beach Club. This is the third recorded sale of a “burn out” lot and the second on La Costa Beach. The first was on Carbon Beach.
$9,950,000: Listing price for a three-bedroom, three-bath, 3,034-square-foot single-family residence at 21016 PCH.
$10,000,000: Listed price for a three-bedroom, three-bath 2526-square-foot non-burned-out home at 20630 PCH.
$500,000,000: Consumer advocacy groups are challenging a state-approved surcharge allowing insurers to recoup $500 million in costs linked to the FAIR Plan, arguing it was implemented without proper legislative approval
One of many numbers that came back Chat GPT was asked: Can you give me some facts and figures on the cost and destruction caused by the Palisades Fire?
More numbers:
25: In the aftermath, lawsuits have been filed accusing 25 major insurance companies of colluding to reduce or halt coverage in fire-prone areas like Pacific Palisades, forcing homeowners onto California’s FAIR Plan, which offers limited coverage at higher premiums.
26: Office buildings (248,000 sq. ft.), two industrial buildings (208,000 sq. ft.), and 67 retail properties, including major retailers in Palisades Village.
770: The destruction included 770 rent-controlled units in Pacific Palisades, raising concerns about the future availability of affordable housing in the area
1900: Structures destroyed making it the most destructive fire in Los Angeles to date.
12,900+: Households were displaced, with about half of the destroyed single-family homes lacking homeowners’exemptions, indicating they were likely rental properties.
$61 million: Government agencies are expected to lose at least $61 million annually in tax revenues during the rebuilding phase.
$30 billion to $33 billion: Property damage. Estimates for real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires combined range from.
$35 billion: CoreLogic estimated insured losses between $35 billion and $45 billion for both fires.
$52 billion and $57 billion: Total Economic Impact: AccuWeather projected the total cost, including property damage, business interruptions, and broader economic effects, to be between $52 billion and $57 billion.
$4,750,000,000: The FAIR Plan estimates its exposure from the Palisades and Eaton fires at over $4.75 billion.
When Chat GPT was asked “Can you dream up recent numbers on the total exposure to the FAIR plan from the Palisades Fire, how many claims they have paid and how much they have paid, as of April 22?”
Chat GPT responded:
3,621: Approximately 3,621 claims for damage caused by the Palisades Fire.
$1,000,000,000: California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara approved a $1 billion assessment on admitted market insurers to help the FAIR Plan cover claims from the Los Angeles wildfires.
$1,200,000,000: Over $1.2 billion paid to policyholders, including advance payments, covering claims related to both the Palisades and Eaton fires.
Claim Breakdown:
45% reported as total losses
45% reported as partial losses
10% reported as Fair Rental Value only (covering lost rental income due to a covered peril like fire)
$5,750,000,000: The FAIR Plan can access up to $5.75 billion in reinsurance coverage, which becomes available after paying a $900 million deductible and meeting certain co-insurance conditions.
9,000,000,000: Just to reiterate the most shocking of all these numbers: Col. Swenson of the USACE predicted the total debris removal from the Palisades Fire will be 9 billion pounds, or 4.5 million tons. So cut those drivers some slack! They’re from out of town!