Wildfire Impacts on Altadena and Pacific Palisades Small Businesses
About this Data Brief Series
Over 1.3 million small businesses operate in Los Angeles County, accounting for roughly one-third of the state’s total and hosting more women- and minority-owned businesses than any other county in the nation. Despite their importance to the L.A. economy, small businesses often lack the financial safety nets and institutional support needed to withstand major economic disruptions. The January 2025 wildfires that swept through Southern California once again exposed these challenges. These data briefs are a 3-part series that examines the impact of the January 2025 wildfires on small businesses in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, the two areas hardest hit by the wave of wildfires that swept through Southern California.
This data brief series is made possible through the generous support of Capital One’s Insight Center.
Data Brief 1: The Local Business Landscape Before the Wildfires
This first brief establishes a baseline of the local business landscape before the fires, and shows microbusinesses are the backbone of the local business landscape in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.
Data Brief 2: Business Damages from the Wildfires
This second brief examines the extent of direct physical damage to businesses caused by the January 2025 wildfires and highlights that microbusinesses were disproportionately represented among damaged or destroyed structures.
Data Brief 3: Six-Month Assessment of Business Status
This third brief assesses short-term business disruptions six months after the January 2025 wildfires. It tracks delisting and property sales to provide an early look at post-fire stability, showing that although relatively few businesses exited or were tied to parcel sales, most affected were microbusinesses, underscoring their continued vulnerability.
5 Facts to Strengthen Resilience for CA Small Businesses
This data brief presents two key findings from our 2022-2023 survey of California small businesses to inform disaster preparedness policies for small entrepreneurs.
