In a concerted effort to bolster wildfire response and recovery, NV5 and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have released high-resolution lidar data (0.5m resolution) for areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County. The data, collected between January 21 and 22, 2025, is now publicly accessible through the USGS’s 2025 Post-Wildfire Lidar Data platform. NV5 acquired the new lidar data with a Riegl 1560II and Applanix IMU. The burn zones were flown at 16 points per square meter and will undergo additional processing to fully comply with USGS 3DEP Lidar Base Specification Standards.
This initiative was sponsored by ALERTCalifornia, a public safety program based at the University of California San Diego. ALERTCalifornia leverages advanced technology and research to understand natural disasters and their impacts, providing essential tools for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
The Palisades and Eaton fires, which ignited on January 7, 2025, were among the most devastating in Southern California’s history. The Palisades Fire burned approximately 23,448 acres, destroying around 7,000 structures and resulting in 12 fatalities. The Eaton Fire consumed about 14,021 acres, leading to the destruction of nearly 10,000 buildings and causing 17 deaths. Collectively, these fires caused insured property losses estimated between $28 billion and $35 billion. For more information about the devastation caused by these fires – Verisk sees insured property loss of $28 bln to $35 bln from Eaton and Palisades fires.
NV5 had previously conducted lidar surveys of the same regions in 2023 and 2024 as part of their support for the USGS’s 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) in partnership with the Los Angeles Region Imagery Acquisition Consortium (LARIAC). LARIAC is a collaborative acquisition program involving over 30 Los Angeles County departments, more than 40 municipalities, and other public agencies, aimed at efficiently obtaining high-definition aerial data.
The availability of multiple years of high-resolution lidar data allows for comprehensive comparative analyses. By examining changes in terrain, vegetation density, and burn severity over time, experts can quantify fire damage, identify areas at risk of debris flows or flooding, and make informed decisions to mitigate future hazards.
“The Palisades and Eaton fires not only devastated and tore apart the lives, homes, businesses and neighborhoods of thousands of Angelenos, they have also shown the world that cities, counties, and jurisdictions across the globe can be hit with devastating fires during extreme climate conditions. We are pleased to provide the community with the lidar data as it is essential to developing effective and time-critical plans for wildfire prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery, ” said Neal Driscoll, principal investigator of the ALERTCalifornia program at UC San Diego.
High-resolution lidar data serves as an invaluable tool in disaster management. It enables precise mapping of affected areas, supports effective planning for recovery operations, and enhances the resilience of communities against future natural disasters. The collaboration between NV5, USGS, and LARIAC exemplifies the power of shared resources and expertise in addressing environmental challenges.
For more information about the use of lidar in wildfires, please read our blog post titled, Wildfire Safety Improved with Lidar.
Top image credit: Ariam23 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0.
