Before-and-after video shows devastation of along PCH after Palisades Fire

Let’s go back. For whatever reason, on April 21, 2020, Andy Riesmeyer strapped his cellphone to the roof of the car and filmed a drive up PCH. Like so much of 2020, he was happy to forget it-until a few weeks ago.
Andy Riesmeyer reports for KTLA 5 News on Jan. 29, 2025.
KTLA 5 News - Keeping Southern Californians informed since 1947.

[@Buwtz]

I have empathy for those affected by the fires, but it is refreshing to see the lack of houses exposing the view of the Pacific Ocean.

[@edenuccio3690]

The state park system should buy up that property

[@Buwtz]

@@edenuccio3690 Agreed and an excellent idea.

[@mdoy5667]

​@Buwtz now the displaced will buy out your landlord who you rent from. Their money is bigger than your monthly payment. 😊

[@Buwtz]

@@mdoy5667 haha. It's a good thing that I don't rent and my house is paid off.

[@ChosenOne6666]

I have crocodile tears for the rich.

[@SPCEMN3]

Woh super dramatic footage. Nice work documenting this, Andy. I bet lots of Angelenos will appreciate it.

[@nannerz1994]

Great reporting Andy

[@lynettetayag148]

Thank you, Andy, for this wonderful - though sad - report and videos. The views along our drive on PCH will now change. Gone are the beachfront homes we used to envy of having the best views of the ocean and our California sunsets. Good luck and God-bless to everyone who has lost homes and have been impacted by this unimaginable tragedy.😔🙏

[@Stefano10ace-e9l]

Devastating, an understatement. I'm saddened to watch a favorite iconic drive me and millions of others who grow up taking that drive to restaurants, shopping, and, of course, a day at the beach.

[@GlenTheGuesser]

Wow...thank you for posting.

[@markmedley6849]

I lived there and lost my home on the 7th. When I went back last Saturday, I struggled to remember what it looked like amongst all the destruction. It was nice to see this video. Everything will be rebuilt in time and hopefully better.

[@MedicUSA]

I'm so sorry. 😞

[@markmedley6849]

@ Thank you!

[@GHOST9here]

I still pray for you markmedley

[@markmedley6849]

@@GHOST9here Thank you. You just move forward. The chard burn areas will turn green again and new homes will be built.

[@cedricdrake6855]

Myyyy Goddd...I know all of this area. I CANNOTbelieve it's gone. I remember all the wonderful memories 😢😢😢😢😢

[@JimJones-gd2jy]

Don’t rebuild on the water ! Leave it as is . .

[@george-st-george]

Great Video !! Excellent work !!!

[@krsone8897]

Great segment! Andy is an amazing addition to the show. Him and The 5 Live crew w/ Sam, Bobby, and Puente need to come back to the 2pm hour. That show had a fresh take for the KTLA family.

[@edenuccio3690]

You can see the water now. They should just leave it

[@ElevateSage]

They won't. It's now up to whoever can afford to build.

[@savagecatzzz]

Exactly what I was thinking!

[@GHOST9here]

I pray for tour family edenuccio

[@edenuccio3690]

@ me too

[@carlosk8103]

Leave it as is, it looks better without all those houses and utility wires littering the natural landscape.

[@larrybruce4856]

Nice work, the before and after. I have visited Malibu, Santa Monica, and driven the PCH many times. I hold mayor Karen Bass, and Gavin Newsom solely responsible for the devestation and wildfires in LA due to their ignorance of forest and vegetation management talked about for decades and the redirection of water to the ocean and diverted from much needed reservours and hydrants.

[@jmo4521]

I have always found that the homes marred the beautiful shoreline. Why were homes ever built there in the first place? Did it have to do with who wanted those houses? Money?Fame? Let's ban rebuilding and restore the shoreline to its natural beauty so everyone can enjoy it.

[@sueraymo3239]

Very sad to see this extensive devastation 😢

[@savagecatzzz]

eh it was mostly the greedy rich

[@KibbyRose]

2:03 Im sorry to the people who lost their homes, but it looks like mother nature, reclaimed the beauty of her coastline! 💯

[@beths4934]

It'll be 25 years before CA recovers from this disaster. Excellent report here with the before vs after. A++ to this young man for Always being a journalist... hence the Before is available for this station to use. Promote that kid!

[@ArtsyFartsyLovers]

Looks better without the homes

[@Antonio040978]

PLEASE. KEEP DE OCEAN VIEWS CLEAR... DO NOT REBUILD

[@HoldMyBeerFam]

At least you can see the ocean now when you drive, idk.

[@MagicalCreations-fw7pj]

So just that little bit of concrete wall on the opposite side protected those few homes from the destruction? Protecting from fire and mudslides so cheaply and probably just an unintentional benefit. You'd think they would have already thought of that right???

[@gabriel432]

But it interferes with the natural migration of mice... according to environmentalist

[@munkeybonz589]

Nice ocean view now on drive

[@I-am-one]

Hopefully they won't let them rebuild and obstruct the view of the ocean

[@akumatose]

I drive down this road almost daily from Ventura to Santa Monica. It breaks my heart seeing this. I know it's not my property or have attachment to these houses but it's the norm of seeing them. Sunrises and sunsets down the PCH will never be the same and the way that light hit. My heart goes out to those more impacted than me.

[@ramonalisa8546]

thank you

[@Rawshella]

I say DON'T LET THE FEW REBUILD when it blocks the masses from seeing, visiting and enjoying the newly reopened coast line! Make all those x-driveways parking spots for all travelors to stop and enjoy the pacific ocean!

[@RebeccaLerch]

Sadness. How could this happen to day.

[@jimrockford4309]

Looks suspicious to me. @ 1:33 You have stucco ocean front homes on the left and to the right a 5 lane HWY that borders a hillside with sparse scrub brush. How the hell is there enough fuel for a fire to move down a mountain and then jump a wide HWY and burn stucco homes to ash? Some of them had to have tile roofs which would make a home fairly resistant to fire. Fire moves much faster and intense going uphill then down. It's like turning a match with the flame down. I know the winds were intense but still.....I wonder which direction the wind was blowing? Edit: I'm thinking the windows of the homes probably get blown out in intense heat allowing embers to enter the home. I wonder if windows made of Pyrex glass would prevent this?

[@lionleader]

I was there, my house burned down, the wind was a hundred miles an hour. All of the houses that stood, were not in the path of the wind carrying the fire embers. Everything in the path of the shower of embers burned. The houses that stand simply never got his with fire embers.

[@lindadeeds5326]

The wind was blowing from the land out to the water.

[@lionleader]

@ were you there? The wind shifted and took out half of Malibu. I was there.

[@donniemoder1466]

PCH never seemed that picturesque a roadway to begin with. Not the asphalt pavement and the power lines and the boxy beachhouses blocking the view of the ocean. The scrubby dirty hills weren't much to look at either. The great expanse of the ocean is a great view when exposed, but buildings and parking lots along it are kind of crappy to look at. (Also don't know why you have the creepy music playing in the background.)

[@willb5036]

You shoulda kept the 911 you were driving in 2020 video lol… thx for video 💯 👍👍

[@lindadeeds5326]

Cool video, in a sad way. Thanks for sharing this.

[@thomasmckelvey8961]

I can only imagine how hard the Calif. Coastal Commision is going to make the rebuilding process, if they even allow it at all...

[@ChosenOne6666]

Some insurance policies do not coverage updated building codes.

[@ossier2796]

So sad 😢

[@henrykaiser8809]

Why does the media talk so much about the P.P. and Malubu fire but you hear nothing about Altadena?

[@I-am-one]

I don't live there is that where the poor people live well then you shouldn't ask

[@argot227]

I hear about the Altadena fire almost nearly as much

[@neverever7835]

Altadena is talked about plenty too. You are making a story out of nothing. Jealousy or disdain whatever your reasons, cut it out.

[@lindadeeds5326]

I hear plenty about both areas. This happened to be a segment about the PCH. That’s why Altadena wasn’t mentioned- it’s not located along the PCH!

[@johnkoch7386]

google eaton fire, and you will find plenty of material.

[@Mt-ue9qz]

As tragic as it is, maybe the rising ocean level/waves would have been as bad or worse in time. Maybe a message to move to higher grounds vs rebuilding right there. Certainly a place of beauty that is desirable.

[@meggtokyodelicious]

After the complete clean up and possible pedestrian/ bicycle 🚲 line, everybody will be able to enjoy the ocean and the sunset from the road now. I would like to see some benches along the coast too. 🌄 Government will not allow homes to be rebuilt, due to world economic forum 15 minute City compliances.

[@lindadeeds5326]

What? It’s private property- the owners can certainly build their homes back if they want to.

[@eyespy7306]

Is it just me that notice that the utility poles all still stand . Can some one explain why that is.

[@RobotronOG]

The view of the ocean on the drive is much better now isn’t it? Sad but true.

[@garryminati7350]

Where are the powerlines hone?

[@KK-pm7ud]

Karen Bass and Gavin Newsom must resign

[@swblanc]

The traitorous, sexual-assaulting, felon president must resign.

[@Kartzchen]

I think seeing the ocean instead of buildings is better. It is a gorgeous view. It is a shame that it was obstructed for so long. Move the debris out and move on with something beautiful.

[@ChosenOne6666]

I dont understand crying for the rich people. They have the means and ability along with insurance to rebuild brand new.

[@promogul]

All the toxic runoff after the rains has poisoned Santa Monica Bay for who knows how long. It’ll be a while before it’s safe to surf in that water.

[@metubeglvz]

few weeks. the ocean is vast

[@Jason_The_Man]

Very sad, but the view of the water will be better and without so much residential traffic, it should flow smoother and maybe more safely.

[@maryclebeau]

I can’t believe what was and now what is😢

[@drregmonster4371]

what car is that?

[@gibsonclan1able]

A Volkswagen 911?

[@HeyNiagraFalls]

Horrific event wiping out a community. Beautiful views post fire event. Those homes were really not all that - blocking a wonderful coastline view.

[@amymalina5073]

Why are they lauding the Fire Department? If you look at all these videos they are either no where to be found while house after house burned to the ground. Residents complained there was a completely inadequate response, in the Palisades and Altadena both. When you did see the Fire Department they seemed to be standing around their trucks and letting it burn. If they were establishing the perimeter of these fires that might have been happening out of view. This was a disaster for everyone, including the fire department.

[@amymalina5073]

The fire department of Los Angeles should be analyzing and self evaluating to understand this catastrophic event and understand what went wrong. No one should be giving them a parade. It was pathetic.

[@juneyshu6197]

If they could figure out how to put them out quickly...Guess its impossible, huh?

[@gebrumamooshgirmay8167]

I am Gebru from PASADENA in ETHIOPIA! Stay CHRISTIAN LOS ANGELES! And PASADENA!

[@thamilton007]

🙏😔💔

[@oaktharas]

looks about the same to me. If anything, the view is more open and more natural. I don’t see the problem. Edit; exactly, Santa Monica is visible.

[@townee3]

Sorry to see them go. Now we can see the Ocean without all those 100 Million Dollar Houses in the way. It now looks more like the Old PCH. When you could see the ocean. The people that need the real attention are in Alta-Dena.

[@Runkle55]

Bro go do your chores…whose son is this?

[@ShakaSwat]

They planned this.

[@noahenglert]

how does a news reporter get a porsche 911?!?!

[@AndyRiesmeyer]

Haha from my old job making videos for Hot Wheels

[@Quackerjacks438]

Thank Newsom for this state failure.

[@shanes.1724]

That guy seems a little young to be an anchor

[@AndyRiesmeyer]

I'm 36!

[@stansbornak8116]

Help us Gavin Newsom........you're our only hope!

[@juneyshu6197]

Not good.

[@KK-pm7ud]

Are you kidding me? You still support that guy after he caused this? Stockholm Syndrome.

[@jmiodus9610]

Lol... you MUST be joking. He's a clown. We all moved to Arizona because of that p o s.

[@KK-pm7ud]

@jmiodus9610 They need you back in California to fix it

[@drregmonster4371]

Build back better with high density housing with low income options.

[@lindadeeds5326]

The roads cannot support high density housing if people need to flee. Packing people into fire zones is poor policy.

[@Yaveren]

Amazing thumbnail

[@500KLA]

This is story

[@JamesR-m4n]

So sad 😢