The True Cost of Recovering from the LA Wildfires, Part 3

The Wirecutter Show

The New York Times

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4.2 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 12 January 2026

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In part three, we examine the costs of recovering from a disaster, why you probably need more insurance, and how to become your own fierce advocate.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the third episode in a three-part series about the LA Wildfires,
0:06.8	a look at the aftermath and the process of recovery one year later.
0:11.0	We recommend you listen to this series in order,
0:13.3	so if you haven't heard parts one and two yet,
0:15.7	you can find them in our feed labeled the true cost of recovering from the LA wildfires.
0:26.9	Thank you. our feed labeled the true cost of recovering from the LA wildfires. So Woodbury is one of our east-west running streets here.
0:32.0	That's Mike Cohen again, my colleague and deals writer for Wirecutter.
0:36.2	He lost his home last January in the LA wildfires.
0:40.2	He's showing me, our executive producer and co-host, Rosie Garan,
0:43.9	and producer Abigail Keel around Altadena in December 2025.
0:48.0	And to the left, there's where we had the recovery center,
0:52.8	like the Disaster Relief Center.
0:54.6	That's where FEMA Army Corps, everybody set up in a big tent.
0:59.0	On the left, this is Core.
1:00.5	That's where they're showing us a bunch of different ADUs and different modular homes
1:05.3	that you can purchase.
1:08.0	Trying to help people with the cost of rebuilding. to buy an ADU, plop it on their
1:15.0	plot, and then live in it while their house is being rebuilt.
1:20.7	What Mike just mentioned there, the ADUs, that stands for accessory dwelling units.
1:26.4	They kind of look like tiny homes.
1:28.6	ADUs are pretty common in L.A.
1:30.8	People use them as offices or guest rooms.
	...

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