500 firearms recovered from Palisades Fire rubble, LAPD wants them returned to owners

About 500 firearms were recovered during debris removal from the Palisades Fire area and the Los Angeles Police Department is asking for people to get their guns.

The wildfire that broke out on Jan. 7 destroyed over 6,000 structures, leaving homes and cherished belongings scorched and lost in the rubble. The department said many of the found firearms are severely damaged by fire, making it tough to identify them.

"Since January, LAPD officers have been working through the painstaking process of recovering and rendering approximately 500 firearms safe," LAPD Chief of Detectives, Alan Hamilton said.

"We recognize that these firearms may hold significant sentimental value to their owners, whether as family heirlooms, historical pieces, or personal mementos, and we are doing our best to reunite them with their owners."

Those who believe they may have lost a firearm in the Palisades Fire can send an email to the LAPD Gun Recovery Unit at palisadesfire@lapd.online. Proof of residential address and a description of the firearm will be needed.

"The Department remains committed to the community's recovery efforts and to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and respect in returning personal property to those impacted by this tragedy," LAPD wrote in a news release.