Press Releases

Sen. Rick Scott: One Year After the Palisades Fire, Residents Still Await Accountability and Answers

January 7, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Rick Scott and Ron Johnson released the below statements on the one-year anniversary of the Palisades Fire. Senator Rick Scott, chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), continue to lead an ongoing congressional investigation into the January 2025 wildfires.

 

In the coming weeks, PSI will hold a congressional hearing to hear from witnesses and experts about what went wrong in California’s wildfire preparedness, response, and recovery, which has left residents with zero accountability and unable to rebuild.

 

Senator Rick Scott said, “Today marks one year since the Palisades Fire ravaged homes, businesses, and tragically took the lives of 12 people. A year later, victims are still struggling to rebuild their homes and lives, and they have virtually no answers or accountability from local and state officials.

 

“I have spent the last several months talking to victims of the Palisades Fire, holding hearings, and giving voice to victims who feel like they’re being ignored or left behind. Despite billions of tax dollars being sent to California to help with fire prevention and recovery, we’ve heard these victims describe how state and local officials failed to protect or prepare for these fires, and how bureaucratic roadblocks and indecision have prevented them and their friends and neighbors from rebuilding their lives. Victims reported that fire hydrants ran dry, and many were left on their own to fight or flee as the fires tore through their neighborhoods. Even now, a year later, they face obstacle after obstacle, even from their own state and local governments and the insurance companies they paid for coverage, in their journey to rebuild.

 

“This is why Chairman Johnson and I launched our investigation: to get answers for the victims of the Palisades Fire and the American people, and to hold state and local officials accountable so this tragedy does not happen again. Together, Chairman Johnson and I have sent multiple letters to federal, state, and local officials seeking information on California’s preparedness, mitigation, and response failures — including prevention efforts, prescribed burns, arson investigations, and overall disaster response and recovery. Since our investigation opened, we have reviewed thousands of documents regarding the response to the fire. We recently held a hearing in the Palisades to hear directly from victims, and we will soon hold a hearing in D.C. to hear from witnesses on what went wrong in the Palisades.

 

“We need to get to the bottom of this tragedy, hold those who failed to protect the people of California from these devastating fires responsible, and bring accountability for the billions of American taxpayer dollars sent to California for fire prevention and recovery. We will continue to dig and fight until we have the answers the victims and the American people deserve.”

 

Senator Ron Johnson said, “Today, we remember the 12 people who lost their lives and the families and communities devastated by last year’s California wildfires. Much of the destruction was preventable, and Californians are still rebuilding their homes and their lives. Senator Scott and I are working to get to the bottom of this tragedy and hold state and local officials accountable for failing to protect the people of California from these devastating fires. This was an unacceptable failure of our government to protect the lives and property of our citizens.”

 

As part of their investigation, Chairmen Scott and Johnson have sent multiple letters to federal, state, and local officials seeking information on California’s preparedness, mitigation, and response failures — including prevention efforts, prescribed burns, arson investigations, and overall disaster response and recovery:

 

 

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