Palisades High reopens after year of instability

Students return to campus after Palisades fire damage

Jan. 27, 2026 at 5:15pm

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Palisades Charter High School students were welcomed back to their main campus by community members more than a year after the Palisades fire ravaged the campus. The school operated online and at a temporary location during the rebuilding process, which is expected to be completed by 2029.

Why it matters

The reopening of Palisades High represents an important milestone for the school community, which has endured a year of upheaval and displacement due to the fire. The return to the familiar campus setting is a symbolic step towards normalcy and recovery for students, staff, and families.

The details

In the aftermath of the Palisades fire, which destroyed or damaged about 30% of the campus, Palisades High operated online for four months and then moved to a temporary location in a former Sears building. Students had to travel to various athletic facilities throughout town for practice and games. To reopen the campus quickly, the school made use of the grounds, converting green areas into temporary buildings. The full $266.6 million restoration project, including a new classroom building and restored baseball field, is expected to be completed by 2029.

  • Palisades High operated online for four months after the fire.
  • The school then moved to a temporary location in a former Sears building.
  • The campus reopened on January 27, 2026, more than a year after the fire.
  • The full $266.6 million restoration project is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2029.

The players

Palisades Charter High School

A public charter high school in Los Angeles, California that draws students from nearby neighborhoods and a wide swath of the city.

Roxi Bakhtari

A junior at Palisades High who remarked on how much has changed for the school community after the fire.

Alice Amorim

A senior at Palisades High who felt sad about only getting half of her last year at the school due to the campus closure.

Oscar Lopez

A freshman at Palisades High who was seeing the campus for the first time, having never been there before the fire.

Suzanne Hudson

A parent of a junior at Palisades High who was displaced after the fires and found it difficult to provide stability for her children.

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What they’re saying

“So much has changed for all of us. It was kind of crazy to resume where we were. … My history teacher actually had the writing on his whiteboard from our last day here a year ago.”

— Roxi Bakhtari, Junior

“I feel a little sad, actually. I'm only getting half of my last year. … It feels like I'm visiting the campus as someone who graduated already.”

— Alice Amorim, Senior

“I was never at this campus ever to begin with. I'm really excited to actually have a football field' and 'actually be in a high school for the first time.”

— Oscar Lopez, Freshman

“We have a standing but toxic house that we haven't been able to return to, so this has kind of paralleled our displacement. It's incredibly meaningful after this year of displacement, for them to be back to somewhere that represents something both familiar but also new opportunities.”

— Suzanne Hudson, Parent

“To be able to tell these kids 'it will be a normal school day' is just amazing.”

— Nick Melvoin, District 4 School Board member

What’s next

The Los Angeles Unified School District has requested that the L.A. Fire HEALTH Study, a consortium of multiple universities and hospitals, complete an independent assessment of the testing data to ensure the campus is safe for students and staff.

The takeaway

The reopening of Palisades High represents a significant milestone in the school community's recovery from the devastating Palisades fire. While the journey is not complete, the return to the familiar campus setting provides a sense of stability and hope for students, staff, and families as they work to rebuild and move forward.