Think Big and Act Boldly: outlines four actionable strategies to accelerate recovery from the Eaton and Palisades fires and reduce future wildfire risk
Climate Resolve, in partnership with Resilient Cities Catalyst, today released Think Big and Act Boldly! Implementing Proven Solutions on Urban Fire, a breakthrough report offering concrete strategies on how philanthropy can speed recovery from the Eaton and Palisades Fires and prepare Los Angeles for the next disaster.
“Los Angeles' communities deserve a recovery from the fires that is coordinated and forward-looking," said Samuel Carter, Founding Principal of Resilient Cities Catalyst and an author of the report. “We can still address the regions' fragmentation, misaligned systems, and underinvestment in prevention with additional leadership from civil society and philanthropy.”
Developed over seven months of intensive research, community engagement, and expert consultation following the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires, the report synthesizes findings from fourteen post-fire studies and more than 465 recommendations into four priority actions designed to support policymakers, public agencies, and partners in moving from analysis to execution.
“The question is not whether Los Angeles can afford to invest in resilience,” said Jonathan Parfrey, CEO of Climate Resolve and an author of the report. “It is whether it can afford not to.”
Four Policy-Relevant Recommendations
The report advances four strategies with clear relevance to legislative, regulatory, and administrative decision-making:
Establish Recovery Authorities
Create geographically appropriate recovery authorities to streamline rebuilding, align agencies, reduce delays, and help displaced residents return home.Create a Resilience Delta Fund
Address the gap between minimum code rebuilding and wildfire-resilient construction.Formalize a Los Angeles County Resilience District
Establish a voter-approved resilience district with a dedicated revenue stream to fund wildfire, flood, heat, and seismic mitigation.Fix Disaster Communications and Alert Systems
Address failures in emergency alerts and interagency coordination exposed during the January fires.
The report was funded by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The full report is intended to support philanthropic deliberations and regional coordination efforts already efforts already underway at the city, county, and state levels. To learn more, visit RCC’s LA Resilient Recovery program page.