PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif.—Elaine Culotti built her career as a real estate developer in Pacific Palisades, a prestigious enclave west of Los Angeles, renowned for its breathtaking coastline and multi-million-dollar mansions.
More than six months after the Palisades Fire devastated her community, Culotti is still struggling to come to terms with the aftermath.
Culotti’s oceanfront home sustained significant damage, but some of her neighbors and clients lost everything.
“My place burned. My perimeter walls burned. My deck burned. My gym burned,” Culotti said.
She also must remove 10 scorched trees from her property before her family can return.
Destruction now overshadows the once-picturesque community that is home to 23,837 people. Like sparse seedlings blooming in a charred forest, only a few signs of rebuilding are visible….