Malibu’s Fire Survivors Face ‘A Longer Road Than We Imagined’

As the season begins to change from winter to spring we can't help but dream about our favorite south swell locations and, in that regard, there's nowhere more iconic than Malibu. The perfect right-hand point is no secret but what's lesser known is just how Malibu is doing after the terrible wildfires of last year.

When I first heard the news, my instant reaction was shock. For fires that strong to hit in the middle of what was supposed to be the winter rainy season was just surreal. Then, as unsolicited opinions rang in from across the nation, my shock turned to rage in seeing how people could criticize while so many people were still in danger.

I never lived in Malibu but anyone who has enjoyed a beautiful summer day with 4-foot waves reeling down the point, or has simply driven from Santa Monica on up to County Line, can understand the appeal. The native Chuamsh called it Humaliwo, meaning "where the surf sounds loudly"

Today though the community is still in recovery mode--both for businesses and home owners--and those who criticized the fire from afar are nowhere to be seen. Given Malibu's historic importance within modern surfing, we connected with two different locals to hear about what life has been like since the fires ended.

Gregory Day, managing director for the Malibu Beach Inn said, "Malibu is an extremely resilient community. Everyone here works together to help one another, and the aftermath of the 2025 wildfires illustrated a powerful example of that mentality. The Palisades fire was the third major fire affecting Malibu that I have been involved with, and without a doubt, the most devastating. That said, I witnessed firsthand the ways in which the people of Malibu and the Palisades have leaned on and supported each other as we continue to navigate the recovery process. Everyone in the community has been impacted in some way which has strengthened the way we continue to show up for one another day after day."

While the community banding together and showing resilience is heartwarming, the reality of navigating the rebuilding process has been very difficult for those who lost their homes in the fire like Natasha Tan Scheffler. "I’ve lived in Malibu most of my life and I truly empathize with the City and the many complexities they’re facing. I know that most people involved are doing their best to help residents however they can. That said, the process continues to be deeply frustrating."

She continued, "In the early town halls, City officials emphasized their top priorities: getting residents back into their homes as quickly as possible, allowing residents to build 10% more than what they had, and waiving permit fees; “quickly” being a key word. Malibu, however, has long been known for its notoriously lengthy and challenging permitting process. As the information sessions went on, the requirements for submissions didn’t seem to lessen; if anything, they increased. New parameters were introduced, for stronger homes, better-built homes, documentation proving what existed before, and so on."

Given her professional work, Scheffler knows a lot about permitting processes and, even then, it's a lot to deal with it, "From a professional standpoint, I understand that the City views this as an opportunity to bring homes up to current code and still need to maintain requirements that address the area’s geographic challenges. But the reality is that people’s lives have been completely uprooted. Many are underinsured, and the process of rebuilding, both financially and emotionally, is anything but easy."

She says many people who were once optimistic about rebuilding, are reconsidering whether they want to continue, "I think the feeling of helplessness can be overwhelming and can be both deeply frustrating and profoundly traumatic. I have family friends who, in the beginning, were optimistic and eager to rebuild, but as the process has dragged on, many have nearly given up. I think many feel stuck in not knowing whether to rebuild or not. The challenges of insurance, permitting, and construction is a longer road than any of us imaged. Along with the time and financial impact, I think many people feel hesitant about moving back to a fire prone area. After living through both the Woolsey and Palisades fires, many are simply exhausted."

As for business owners, part of the challenge has been convincing people that Malibu is still magic and, in fact, open for business. Day says, "As we look forward to the future of Malibu, there is no wrong time to visit, so I would say please come now! Whether it be for a day trip or an overnight stay, the beauty and warmth of Malibu is available to you, and the community–and local businesses–needs the continued support."