LA Luxury Mall Relied on Private Firefighters During Wildfires
Palisades Village, an outdoor luxury mall in Los Angeles, survived the January 2025 wildfires with minimal damage, aided by a private firefighting service. Much of the surrounding neighborhood was destroyed.
The Palisades Village outdoor luxury mall in Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades neighborhood remained largely intact after the January 2025 wildfires, a stark contrast to the thousands of homes destroyed in the region. While the Palisades fire caused significant devastation, the mall sustained only minor damage, such as singed awnings.
Caruso, the developer of Palisades Village, employed a private firefighting service that was deployed to protect the property hours after the wildfire began. This proactive measure ensured the mall's survival while much of the surrounding area, including residential properties, faced destruction and rebuilding.
"We learned very early on that building systems and materials were very important, as well as fire prevention protocols and having an emergency response team on hand," said Corinne Verdery, CEO of Caruso. The company views this approach as a necessary adaptation for real estate development in areas prone to wildfires.
This strategy was previously employed by Caruso during the 2017 Thomas Fire, which threatened the construction site of its Rosewood Miramar Resort in Montecito. Following that near-disaster, Caruso integrated private firefighting services as a standard operating procedure for its properties in high-risk wildfire zones.
The mall itself incorporates fire-resistant materials like brick and stone, along with sprinkler systems and ember-resistant vents. These construction choices, combined with the private firefighting service, proved effective in mitigating damage during the recent fire event.