Traci Park and the Environmental Injustice of the Palisades Fire

Natural disasters may strike indiscriminately, but their consequences are anything but equal. Time and again, the burden of recovery falls hardest on low-income communities, while the wealthy leverage their political power to shield themselves from harm. The LA fires have laid this reality bare, with one glaring example: the toxic debris from the Pacific Palisades fire is being shipped to working-class communities in the San Gabriel Valley. And at the center of this injustice is none other than Councilmember Traci Park, who has prioritized the interests of her affluent constituents over the well-being of Angelenos living far from the Palisades' gated streets.

Who Pays the Price for Disaster?

Low-income communities are always hit hardest by natural disasters. They are less likely to have the resources to rebuild, face higher barriers to receiving aid, and often live in areas with poorer infrastructure that makes them more vulnerable to climate disasters. Yet instead of addressing these disparities, leaders like Traci Park are making them worse.

When the Pacific Palisades burned, it was only a matter of time before the question arose: where will the toxic debris go? The answer, as it so often is in Los Angeles, was to dump it in communities that lack the political influence to say no. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated Lario Park in Irwindale as a temporary site to process hazardous debris from the Eaton Fire—debris laced with toxic chemicals, including paints, pesticides, and lithium-ion batteries.

These materials pose serious risks to air and water quality. And yet, instead of standing up for the people of the San Gabriel Valley, Traci Park has done nothing to stop this blatant act of environmental injustice.

Park’s Priorities: Wealth Over Health

Traci Park claims to represent the interests of all Angelenos, but her actions tell a different story. Her response to the Pacific Palisades fire has been laser-focused on protecting her wealthy constituents—whether by setting up police checkpoints to control access to the area or diverting environmental hazards away from the communities she serves.

When Park pushed for police checkpoints in the Palisades, she justified them with fear-mongering about crime and looters. But when it came to preventing hazardous waste from being dumped in working-class neighborhoods, she had nothing to say. This is not leadership—it’s servitude to the privileged few.

It’s no coincidence that Park is beholden to the very forces that perpetuate these inequities. The LAPD funneled over $1 million into her City Council campaign, and in return, she has consistently advocated for bloated police budgets at the expense of social services—including the fire department, which was already underfunded before the 2025 fires.

Environmental Racism in Action

The decision to dump hazardous debris in the San Gabriel Valley is not just unfair—it is a textbook example of environmental racism. The communities that will bear the brunt of this toxic exposure are predominantly working-class communities of color. These same communities have historically suffered from poor air quality, disproportionately high asthma rates, and underinvestment in public health. Why should they now be forced to absorb the waste of one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city?

If Pacific Palisades residents were asked to store toxic debris in their own neighborhood, there would be mass outrage. But when it comes to protecting lower-income communities, Traci Park is silent.

Who Does Traci Park Serve?

Traci Park’s handling of the Pacific Palisades fire is not just a failure of leadership—it is a deliberate choice to side with wealth and power at the expense of working Angelenos. From cutting critical fire services to overfunding police to dumping environmental hazards on communities far removed from her wealthy district, her priorities could not be clearer.

The aftermath of the devastating fires should have been a moment to correct the systemic inequities that leave working-class communities more vulnerable. Instead, Park has used the crisis to double down on policies that protect the privileged while sacrificing the most vulnerable.

Los Angeles deserves better. We need leaders who fight for all Angelenos—not just the ones who can afford to buy their attention.