Gov. Gavin Newsom, along with local leaders from across Southern California, marked the six-month anniversary of the Eaton and Palisades fires with a gathering of officials and a press conference Monday, July 7, at Pasadena City College, pledging ramped up streamlining to rebuild and beefed up efforts to procure billions in federal aid.

Sen. Alex Padilla, Reps. Judy Chu and Brad Sherman joined Newsom inside the college’s Westerbeck Recital Hall, where they touted the response in the aftermath of the fires over the last half a year while also outlined steps on moving ahead. Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Altadena, also attended.

Those steps, leaders, include plans to lower construction costs, reduce property taxes and expedite rebuilding.

“It’s about partnership. You want to go fast, you go alone,” Newsom said. “You want to go far, you go together.”

Newsom noted the speed at which debris has been cleared from the fire zones, calling it the fastest wildfire recovery in modern history.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass did not attend the ceremony, as she was diverted to MacArthur Park where around 100 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had descended as part of the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown. Agents did not appear to make any arrests.

Deputy Mayor Rachel Freeman spoke in Bass’ place.

Word of the activity reached those at PCC and led to strong rebukes from Padilla, Sherman, Chu and Newsom.

“This is also the time, as California has done for so long, to respect and honor the contributions of so many immigrants in our communities because many of them work in construction,” Padilla said. “They’re the construction workers that we need to continue the rebuilding process for our communities.”

During a press conference following his remarks, Newsom took aim at President Donald Trump and his administration in criticizing the ICE activity that occurred Monday describing it multiple times as cruel and weak.

“What a disgrace what’s happening at MacArthur Park. What theater,” Newsom said. “On the six-month anniversary after all of these fires. That’s the message from the polluted heart of the President of the United States. The polluted heart of Stephen Miller.”

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on Monday said “ICE is out there doing the jobs that they swore an oath to do and they are removing public safety threats from our communities every, and our country is becoming a safer place because of their efforts.”

Despite the shadow of the raids, the sheer scope of the wildfires was still resonating six months later, leaders said.

The Eaton fire killed 18 people, burned more than 14,000 acres and destroyed about 9,400 structures in the town of Altadena and cities of Pasadena and Sierra Madre.

The Palisades fire burned more than 23,000 acres, destroyed about 6,800 structures and killed 12 people in Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

The fires were fueled by dry weather and a rare windstorm that strengthened flames and carried embers via 80 mph gusts, creating an unprecedented crisis that overwhelmed firefighting efforts.

In the months after the national coverage left town in mid-January, those left to pick up the pieces of their lives have had to deal with myriad unknowns and obstacles. From looters, to securing disaster relief and insurance monies, to signing up for debris removal, to concerns over public health to navigating the bureaucracy on the road to rebuilding.

The process of picking up the physical pieces is nearly complete.

The percentage of private lots cleared in the Eaton fire is 96%. The percentage of cleared private lots in the Palisades is 89%, according to Gerre Laine L. Alcordo, spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers. The figures were as of Thursday night, July 3.

As the debris clearance efforts inch toward the final stages, the focus has shifted to the rebuilding timeline. According to Los Angeles County, 85 building permits have been issued combined in both fire areas. Of that total, 73 have been issued in the Eaton fire area.

But it’s a timeline that faces significant headwinds.

In the Palisades, nearly 79% of homeowners intend to rebuild, but 70% said they may not return if the process dragged on for more than three years. In the Eaton fire area, 89% intend to rebuild, with 63% saying no if it took too long. The data is from a survey from the Urban Land Institute, in cooperation with USC and UCLA.

Newsom announced at PCC that later Monday he’d be signing the latest executive order in response to the fire. He said the order will expand Coastal Act and CEQA exemptions to rebuild homes and schools faster, exempts fire-affected homes from select building codes to avoid delays and requires compliance with local zoning rules.

Because insurance reimbursement levels are low as compared to the cost of rebuilding, the survey concluded: “A significant share of respondents are uncertain if they will have sufficient resources to fully cover rebuilding expenses.”

Several local residents on Monday sounded off on the insurance issues, urging leaders to hold insurance companies accountable for alleged mishandling of claims.

When asked Monday about his role, Newsom said that Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara had his administration’s full support in its investigations into companies.

The rebuilding timeline also faces concerns over the environmental costs of the fire. On Monday, just outside of the hall, six protesters rallied for the government to help with remediation efforts that have left them unable to return to their still standing homes.

They held signs with messages that included, “Toxic ground all around,” and “Step up! Clean it up.”