Evacuees sought refuge and medical care at a Red Cross-run evacuation shelter at the Westwood Recreation Center in Los Angeles. In the hilly areas east and north of downtown off Sunset Boulevard, many homes were almost completely destroyed by the Palisades fire.

In the aftermath the FAA promised severe punishment for anyone caught flying drones in a way that interferes with firefighting, with penalties of up to 12 months in prison and $75,000 in fines. But the uncomfortable reality is that there is little that authorities can do to prevent illegal drone flights,