By Michelle Edgar
One year after wildfires ignited across Malibu, Pacific Palisades, and Altadena, Los Angeles paused to remember and to look forward. From Palisades Village, three beams of light rose into the night sky, commemorating the three major fires that began on January 7 and honoring the communities forever changed by them.
The installation was intentionally simple and symbolic. Each beam represented one impacted community and one essential element of recovery: reflection on loss, gratitude for what remains, and hope for what can still be built. As the beams merged into a single column of light, the message was clear, while each community’s experience was distinct, the path forward would be shared.
The ceremony was hosted by Rick Caruso, who described the gathering not as a political statement, but as a community act. Rebuilding, he said, would ultimately be driven by neighbors, families, and local leaders, who continue to show up for one another.
“It’s the people who bring back the community,” Caruso said, noting that strength and resilience come from shared commitment rather than systems alone.
Originally planned to run for just a few days, the light installation was extended through January 31 – the date the fires were fully extinguished one year ago. Caruso shared that the decision after his son, Alex, reminded him that while the fires began on January 7, the uncertainty and danger lasted far longer.
From now through January 31, the three beams will rise nightly, mirroring the full duration of the fires and offering Angelenos a place for personal reflection, remembrance, and hope.
Spiritual leaders from different faith traditions guided the evening with prayers and reflections centered on healing and renewal. Monsignor Torgerson of Santa Monica offered a prayer focused on rebuilding not just physical structures, but the deeper fabric of community.
“From ashes, bring wisdom,” he said. “From loss, bring resolve. From what is broken, shape something deeper and more humane.”
Rabbi Zushi followed with reflections on unity and perspective gained through hardship. He emphasized that moments of darkness can yield new insight, wisdom, and connection.
“When we go through challenging times,” he said, “we are often blessed with new understanding and new possibilities.” He pointed to the unity that emerged after the fires as evidence that the community would not only recover, but ultimately shine as an example beyond Los Angeles.
The ceremony also coincided with Caruso’s birthday – a detail acknowledged unexpectedly by Rabbi Zushi, who offered a blessing and reminded the audience that birthdays are moments when life itself is affirmed. The crowd responded warmly, underscoring the personal nature of the evening.
In his closing remarks, Caruso described the lights as a way to push back against darkness and sadness, and as a reminder that celebration and possibility can coexist with grief.
“These lights are about finding reasons to come together,” he said. “About seeing possibilities that didn’t exist before.”
As the beams were activated, the crowd stood quietly – some holding hands, others looking skyward in silence in a moment of reflection.
The lights will continue to rise nightly through January 31, serving as a visible reminder of loss, resilience, and shared responsibility. In a city defined by reinvention, the beams offer a steady message: after fire, light still leads the way.
