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Torched: How a City Was Left to Burn, and the Olympic Rush to Rebuild L.A.
CBS News correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti’s searing firsthand account of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, the failures that fueled the catastrophe, and the high-stakes battle over how the city will rebuild ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.
In Torched, Vigliotti brings readers inside the inferno that devastated Los Angeles, weaving on-the-ground reporting with the deeper story of how a century of unchecked development and political mismanagement set the stage for disaster. With clarity and verve, he recounts the chaos of the fire, the flawed emergency response, and the human stories of survival and loss in the city he loves.
But this is more than a chronicle of destruction. Vigliotti unravels this catastrophe by placing it within the larger history of Los Angeles, a city that has in many ways been defined by its attraction to reinvention and deference to those who “move fast and break things”—an impulse that now puts it at risk of a short-sighted post-fire rebuild in the run-up to the 2028 Olympic Games. A future that might maximize profits but could potentially do too little to prevent similar disasters in the future or address the rampant inequities this blaze brought to global attention.
Urgent, unflinching, and deeply reported, Torched captures Los Angeles at a turning point—and reveals why its choices matter for us all.
In Torched, Vigliotti brings readers inside the inferno that devastated Los Angeles, weaving on-the-ground reporting with the deeper story of how a century of unchecked development and political mismanagement set the stage for disaster. With clarity and verve, he recounts the chaos of the fire, the flawed emergency response, and the human stories of survival and loss in the city he loves.
But this is more than a chronicle of destruction. Vigliotti unravels this catastrophe by placing it within the larger history of Los Angeles, a city that has in many ways been defined by its attraction to reinvention and deference to those who “move fast and break things”—an impulse that now puts it at risk of a short-sighted post-fire rebuild in the run-up to the 2028 Olympic Games. A future that might maximize profits but could potentially do too little to prevent similar disasters in the future or address the rampant inequities this blaze brought to global attention.
Urgent, unflinching, and deeply reported, Torched captures Los Angeles at a turning point—and reveals why its choices matter for us all.
- GenresNonfiction
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I struggled to write this review because I was just so angry and devastated for everyone that this tragedy touched. There is a ton of information discussed in this book to unpack. Let me start by saying what a great balance of historical facts as well as more current information relevant to the subject matter this book has! It’s also important to note that the author lived the horror of this fire. I believe that insider’s perspective is very valuable to this story. I would also caution that the book draws several powerful emotions from the reader. There are some sensitive details regarding the aftermath of the fire that are difficult to read toward the ending of the book.
A recurring theme throughout the book is the political games that are played. This goes far beyond party lines and deep into budgets, allies, appearances, and self interests.
This tragedy was profound not only for the people of California, but for those around the country who watched helplessly as this community burned. I remember following along with the news and social media in real time as the Palisades fire raged. Many of the same thoughts I had then are described and amplified through the behind the scenes information gathered for this book. I remember being outraged when it was revealed that the Mayor of LA was not only out of the country, but unavailable to her constituents. Even more alarming is that given the warnings prior to her departure - even if she was unaware of them - she should have made arrangements for responsibilities of those filling in for her and their tasks. This book highlights the decision of the state to take over command of the fire from the local officials.
A powerful lesson highlighted by the details of this book is that no matter where the “blame” lies for this fire and how bad it was able to become, we can always learn from this experience and do our best to prevent something so horrific from happening again. However, it is also important to note that while rebuilding quickly was a focus, that should be done with caution as to prevent some of the issues experienced during this fire. Recovery and rebuilding appeared to be forced. California, known as the cancer cautious capital of the world with so many warnings and labels that’s it’s ridiculous, allowed people back and put a bandaid on the pollutants and contamination. PPE, mulch, and just covering things up is so symbolic and disgusting. Didn’t we learn from 9/11 about the pollutants that people were exposed to? I also took issue with the highlight at the end of the book that a lot of requests for information to be used in investigating the response to the fire and the days prior were delayed, ignored, or that no records were produced. This book was an amazingly powerful and well written account of a very devastating moment in our nation’s history. *Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
A recurring theme throughout the book is the political games that are played. This goes far beyond party lines and deep into budgets, allies, appearances, and self interests.
This tragedy was profound not only for the people of California, but for those around the country who watched helplessly as this community burned. I remember following along with the news and social media in real time as the Palisades fire raged. Many of the same thoughts I had then are described and amplified through the behind the scenes information gathered for this book. I remember being outraged when it was revealed that the Mayor of LA was not only out of the country, but unavailable to her constituents. Even more alarming is that given the warnings prior to her departure - even if she was unaware of them - she should have made arrangements for responsibilities of those filling in for her and their tasks. This book highlights the decision of the state to take over command of the fire from the local officials.
A powerful lesson highlighted by the details of this book is that no matter where the “blame” lies for this fire and how bad it was able to become, we can always learn from this experience and do our best to prevent something so horrific from happening again. However, it is also important to note that while rebuilding quickly was a focus, that should be done with caution as to prevent some of the issues experienced during this fire. Recovery and rebuilding appeared to be forced. California, known as the cancer cautious capital of the world with so many warnings and labels that’s it’s ridiculous, allowed people back and put a bandaid on the pollutants and contamination. PPE, mulch, and just covering things up is so symbolic and disgusting. Didn’t we learn from 9/11 about the pollutants that people were exposed to? I also took issue with the highlight at the end of the book that a lot of requests for information to be used in investigating the response to the fire and the days prior were delayed, ignored, or that no records were produced. This book was an amazingly powerful and well written account of a very devastating moment in our nation’s history. *Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a thoroughly researched and well written book that covers the before, during, and after of these fires. It’s like an inside look at the flaws that contributed to the disaster as well as the history of the area. I thought I understood what happened but as I read this book I realized there was a lot I didn’t know. This was full of respectful reporting. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This powerful firsthand account examines the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires and the institutional breakdowns that intensified the disaster. Jonathan Vigliotti, a national correspondent for CBS News, combines immersive field reporting with a sharp analysis of the political decisions behind the crisis, highlighting how the city’s accelerated push to prepare for the 2028 Olympic Games overshadowed long-term public safety and preparedness.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Shuster for the ARC.
Excellent, excellent, excellent !!! ... Quite an eye-opener on what really was happening in real-time... as an ex-Angeleno, it is heartbreaking to read how the city currently lacks effective leadership ...
Additional review comments to follow
Excellent, excellent, excellent !!! ... Quite an eye-opener on what really was happening in real-time... as an ex-Angeleno, it is heartbreaking to read how the city currently lacks effective leadership ...
Additional review comments to follow
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews