Podcast Summary: “The Wirecutter Show: The True Cost of Recovering from the L.A. Wildfires, Part 1”

The Daily (New York Times), January 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode, hosted by Christine Cyr Clisette of Wirecutter, is the first of a three-part series marking the anniversary of the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Focusing on the personal experiences of two Wirecutter writers, Michael Bradley Cohen and Gregory Hahn—both of whom lived through these fires—the episode dives deep into the emotional, logistical, and financial aftermath of a natural disaster. The discussion is both practical and poignant, offering hard-earned lessons about preparedness, survival, and the crucial role of community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to the L.A. Wildfires – Scene Setting

[01:26–03:02]

• Mike Cohen and Christine drive through his former neighborhood in Altadena, observing contrasts between unscathed and destroyed areas.
  • “You can…still see the difference between the mountains that are green and the mountains that are burned.” — Michael Bradley Cohen [01:26]
• Christine notes the scale of destruction: over 16,000 structures, including ~6,000 homes lost in Altadena alone.

2. Purpose of the Series

[03:02–05:25]

• The Wirecutter trio aims to share firsthand lessons from colleagues affected by the fires, with relevance for anyone facing disasters exacerbated by climate change.
• Explores not only preparedness and recommended gear but also the unpredictable, emotional, and drawn-out process of recovery.

3. Introducing the Wirecutter Writers

[09:26–11:07]

• Gregory Hahn: Altadena resident, freelance writer whose home—though standing—was heavily polluted; displaced for months.
• Michael Cohen: Lost his Altadena home entirely.
• Initial intent to write a “six months after” rebuilding guide shifted to documenting lessons they wish they’d known before disaster hit.
  • “Six months after the fire, you will still be mired in a thousand governmental agencies.” — Michael Bradley Cohen [09:59]
  • “We reframed it more as, like, things we wish we had done or known better or practiced before the fire.” — MBC [10:48]

4. Their Paths to Altadena and What They Loved

[12:06–18:13]

• Gregory and his wife bought their first home after his mother’s passing, entranced by the oak trees and canyon landscape.
• Mike and Chelsea arrived from NYC, drawn by community and outdoor space—a “funky, half hippie, half mountain folk” town.
  • “I always wanted to plant trees wherever we would end up living. And…all of a sudden I felt like I had an empty green canvas where everything could grow.” — Michael Bradley Cohen [15:29]
• Both recount the open, neighborly culture and racial diversity of Altadena, describing it as a place where block parties, greetings, and mutual aid are the norm.

5. The Catastrophe: Wind, Fire, and Mass Displacement

[22:57–26:32]

• Santa Ana winds were critical, with microclimate warnings preceding the disaster.
  • “I was definitely on edge prior to the wind arriving...because of a local young meteorologist who gave microclimate reports of just Altadena.” — Gregory Hahn [23:47]
• Gregory evacuated early due to wind risks and his wife's medical needs; intended to be gone “a day, maybe two,” but was displaced for almost six months.
• Mike and Chelsea were out of the country, tracking events by phone and app. He describes watching his home burn in real time via smart cameras:
  • “We just watched until the whole screen just filled with smoke and black and flashes of flames. And then eventually the feed cut out.” — Michael Bradley Cohen [31:47]

6. Systemic Failures & Emergency Response

[28:21–29:32]

• Alerts and evacuation orders were inconsistent; Mike and his block never received the official warning.
  • “No one had actually received any of the emergency alerts before it happened.” — MBC [28:53]

7. Critical, Hard-Learned Lessons

[33:10–36:48]

• Prioritize what matters most: Mike advises, “When you're going through a disaster like this, it tells you really quickly what is most important and what is worth packing in a bag.” [33:10]
• Take charge of your own and others’ survival: “If you're looking around for the people who know what to do, they might not be there. So you have to be that person for yourself.” [33:10]
• Community is survival: Both echo that mutual aid, neighborly connection, and local knowledge are more crucial than any official response.
  • “We look out for each other or we're trying because nobody else is going to do it for us. So that's really been the silver lining.” — MBC [34:41]
  • “There's a level of investment that you need to make within your own immediate community that will become very, very valuable almost immediately... Instead of expecting other people to be there for you, I think it's important to prepare to be there for other people, too.” — Gregory Hahn [35:33]

8. Actionable Steps for Listeners

[36:48–End]

• Invest in community:
  • Start or join a neighborhood group chat—for emergencies and day-to-day connections.
  • Engage in local volunteer projects (e.g., brush cleanup).
• Build an evacuation plan and “go bag”—but realize recovery and bureaucratic aftermath are extraordinary in scope.
• Future episode teaser: The process of itemizing destroyed belongings for insurance (“the list”) is overwhelming but a crucial part of recovery.
  • “Most people can't tell you everything that's in their backpack right now...imagine having to do that with every single drawer in your entire home.” — Michael Bradley Cohen [37:52]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On returning to the ruin:
  “Like, there's supposed to be houses and people and kids on bikes and people walking dogs…and instead, it's kind of this weird mishmash of a ghost town—a burned out shell.”
  — Michael Bradley Cohen [04:50]

• On evacuation and preparedness:
  “My wife was recovering from cancer and surgery…and we had these two kittens. I wanted to get back home…there's a degree of curiosity, of morbid curiosity in a disaster. You want to see what's happening, even if it puts you in danger. And I had to squash that back and say, no, we're going to just hole up here, be safe and monitor from afar.”
  — Gregory Hahn [25:22]

• On official response breakdown:
  “In a disaster, it’s probably happening so fast that there aren’t uniformed crew members with organized instructions. So you have to be in charge of your own survival.”
  — Michael Bradley Cohen [33:10]

• On the power of community:
  “That is a resource you can't buy, but it's something you can invest in by just saying hello…connecting in a way that may pay off in a life or death situation.”
  — Gregory Hahn [35:33]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:26] – Driving through the burn scar; scale of destruction
• [09:26] – Writers introduce their backgrounds and initial reactions to the disaster
• [12:06, 14:18] – Personal stories: paths to Altadena, dreams of homeownership
• [16:33] – Emotion of returning to the ruins
• [19:54, 20:33] – Diversity, community, and local history of Altadena
• [22:57] – How wind catalyzed the fires; meteorological warnings
• [25:11] – Gregory’s early evacuation and displacement
• [28:21] – Breakdown in evacuation alerts, timeline chaos
• [30:46] – Watching the home burn via cameras
• [33:10] – Hard-learned advice: personal priorities, survival, and self-reliance
• [34:41, 35:33] – Community connections as the true lifeline
• [36:48] – Actionable preparedness and community investment

Episode Tone

The episode blends Wirecutter’s signature practical, data-driven approach with deeply personal storytelling, marked by vulnerability, resilience, and a frank acknowledgment of both institutional failings and the power of grassroots support. The tone is empathetic, instructive, and softly urgent, aiming to turn hard experiences into useful lessons for all listeners.

Final Takeaways

• The real cost of disaster isn’t just in property loss—it’s emotional, communal, and ongoing.
• In the face of growing climate threats, preparedness is essential, but so is investing in relationships close to home.
• This episode is both a cautionary tale and a source of hope, providing insight and actionable advice to help others face the unpredictable.

Subscribe for next episodes for a closer look at the financial and bureaucratic recovery process and more lessons from those who’ve lived through the unimaginable.