Former Vice President Kamala Harris toured fire damage in Pacific Palisades on Thursday and met with local officials, her first visit to the neighborhood since the devastating wildfires last month and one of her few public appearances since leaving office.
On a block where many homes had been reduced to rubble and only chimneys remained, Ms. Harris walked down El Medio Avenue, an area hit hard by the Palisades fire, which burned more than 23,000 acres and destroyed more than 6,000 structures, including homes and businesses, in the Los Angeles neighborhood. Ms. Harris then walked down the street toward Asilomar View Park, which overlooks the remains of a mobile home park destroyed by the flames.
“You can smell the smoke that was here,” Ms. Harris said. “You can feel the toxicity, frankly, of the environment. You can feel the energy of all of the folks who are still here on the ground doing the work of trying to make this area safe, and then, at some point, provide a pathway to rebuild them.”
Ms. Harris also visited the Westwood Recreation Center, which has served as an emergency shelter and relief center. Outside the recreation center, Ms. Harris was asked by reporters whether she was considering running for governor of California. Ms. Harris did not give a direct answer, but did not rule out such a run.
“I have been home for two weeks and three days,” Ms. Harris said. “My plans are to be in touch with my community, to be in touch with the leaders and figure out what I can do to support them, and, most importantly, to lift up the folks who are surviving this extraordinary crisis.”
The former vice president’s visit to Pacific Palisades comes as interest grows over who will run in 2026 to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who’s barred by law from seeking a third term. Ms. Harris’s visit to the neighborhood came nearly two weeks after President Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, toured the Palisades.
Mr. Trump has been critical of Mr. Newsom over his handling of the fires as well as how the state manages its water.
Lindsey Horvath, a Los Angeles County supervisor whose district includes the Palisades and who met with Ms. Harris on Thursday, told reporters that local officials were coordinating with the federal government. She added that she appreciated the partnership with the federal government.
“I think it shows that despite where there are certainly disagreements that we need to talk about, that we also, in times of emergency, must come together,” Ms. Horvath said.
Ms. Horvath told reporters that she hoped that Ms. Harris could leverage relationships she had made throughout her political career to help support the recovery and rebuilding efforts.
“She has offered her continued support, and I know that this will give her a new insight into exactly what we’re facing on the ground,” Ms. Horvath said of Ms. Harris.
Ms. Horvath said the Palisades was in the “backyard” of Ms. Harris’s house in Brentwood. Her house was in an evacuation zone during the height of the fires, but she was in Washington, D.C., at the time.
As Ms. Harris was about to leave on Thursday, Jaimee Longo, a longtime resident of the neighborhood, called out to her and thanked her for visiting. As Ms. Harris held Ms. Longo’s hand, Ms. Longo told the former vice president that her home had not been damaged by the fire, but that she had concerns about how her community would be able to rebuild.
“We all want it back so badly,” Ms. Longo told reporters after talking to Ms. Harris. “We’re not sure how we’re going to get there, but everybody is very strong.”
